Orphans Beloved-The Trouble With Ansley
by regertz
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
1. Chapter 1

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part I…

"OH!"

In her bed, Allison Hendrix sat bolt upright, tearing at her sleeping mask…

"Ally?" Donnie Hendrix, next to her, reached for her. She backing for just a instant then accepting the embrace. "Another nightmare?"

"Yes…" she gasped, staring at his shirtless chest as he held her. "The same one…Ansley…"

"Honey…" he sighed. "You can't let this keep troubling you, you need to see someone."

"See someone? What do you mean, see someone?" she glared.

"I mean like a grief counselor…Ally, Ansley was your friend and you're obviously torn up over her death, coming so soon after your spat with her."

She pulled away, stern, nervous eyeing. "Spat?! She tried to destroy our lives! Spying, prying…"

"Well…" he gave cautious nod… "That may be…But…"

"But what?!"

"Ally, I don't mean to bring up the past ...And I would never do it to hurt you…"

"I slept with her husband and drove her in shame from our neighborhood…Fine."

"No…Ally, sweetheart…" he sighed…Gently, deftly embracing her yielding form… "It's not fine and you know it. These nightmares are symptoms, telling you, something's wrong. That you have unresolved…"

"Don't prattle psychobabble at me, Donnie…" she frowned. "I had every reason to be furious at Ansley…"

"Well, fine…" he sighed. "But there were some pretty big goings-on, then. Again, Ally, I wouldn't bring it up…"

"I committed adultery…Oh…" she was tearing up now… "Oh…And I hurt you…Oh…" weeping now…

"The only thing that matters is that we got past that, Ally." He lifted her tear-streaked face…

"Donnie…" she embraced him…He, hugging her…Then pulling back to regard her solemnly…

"But so long as you keep having these unresolved issues…Ally? I just want to help you."

"I know…I know…Oh, and I love you so much for that…" she patted him. Staring at his worried face… "Oh if only I could tell you everything…"

"Ally? You know you can…Everything…Anything…"

"I can? Oh, but…" she hesitated… "There are other concerns at stake here, Donnie…Other people, I've told you that."

"I understand…" he nodded. "But if there's anything you can tell me that might let me help you…"

"Oh, Donnie…" she sighed. "I would, I would, but…"

"It's ok…" he nodded. "But maybe you could try and tell me a little more about your dream? What's going on there? Can you remember any more of it this time?"

"Nearly all of it…" she sighed. "Ansley's in my quiet room and she's angry…Blue in the face…Yelling at me…Blaming me for letting her…Uh…Husband…"

"That all seems perfectly natural, Ally."

The blue especially, if you only knew…She sighed.

"I really think if you'd just talk to someone…" he began… "And keep off the pills…"

"I've been off the pills….Just like I promised." She noted, annoyed. "Don't you believe me?"

"Of course, I believe you, Allison." Firm nod. "But you've been have these nightmares for over a week and I'm worried."

Oh…Her lip trembled…

Donnie…

"You are a good, good man…" she hugged him. "And if I could just be sure it was safe to tell you more…For your sake and the kids, not mine."

"Now you are worrying me, Ally…"

"No." She put up a hand. "Not to worry, it can't touch us now. And as I told you, it's nothing terrible just…"

Ok, well, mostly it's nothing terrible…

"Ally, this isn't comforting."

Sigh… "Ok, look. How about if I promise I will talk to someone, a therapist? A…Grief counselor or whatever. Would that comfort a bit?"

"A bit, yeah. Who? When?"

"I'll find someone. Maybe whoever Chad is seeing…Uh…" she eyed his clouded face.

"Sorry…Bad idea."

"Maybe not the best…" he gave a sheepish look.

"Donnie…I'll never forgive myself for what I did even if you can…Please don't let it…" sigh… "I won't say hurt, I know it hurts, but don't let it make you sad or think I ever stopped loving you. I really was just getting back at Ansley and I guess I was feeling neglected and all that…"

"These things take two to cause them." Solemn nod. "I know I've been letting you down."

"I promise I will speak to someone. And I'll give you a name and a date…Soon. And thanks for being so wonderful." She beamed, kissing him. "I'll be fine, I know. We'll put this all behind…" she paused, blinking…

"Ally?" he looked round where she was staring at a mirror.

"Nothing…Nothing at all." She smiled at him.

Just a trick of the light…Nothing at all…And least of all Ansley's face in the mirror.

"Really, nothing…" she smiled brightly at him.

….

"Heading out?" Allison, dressed in her favored sweater and blouse combination, eyed Donnie in his golf clothes.

"I don't know if I should…" he eyed her. "Are you sure you don't want to come and get some fresh air, hit a few balls?"

"That's sweet of you, but you know I suck at golf and I don't want to spoil your game. Go, I've lots to do and we'll have a nice time together tonight." She grinned at him. "Really, go. Ally is utterly grounded, solid as a rock, and just fine. And wants you to have a good time."

"Ok…But call if you have any trouble. Ally? You'll let me know about…?" he eyed her.

"Soon as I make the appointment…" she beamed. "Not to worry."

"Right. Well, I'll be home in a couple of hours…And I want you to know I'd rather stay with you, than slog around for two hours with these guys but they are clients. And I can't wait for tonight…" He smiled.

"The wait will be worthwhile…" she grinned. "Go, dazzle…But save some of that charm for your own true…"

"I will." He smiled, pausing. "Ally? I don't want to press, but about these other things…The stuff you'd prefer not to talk about? I should know, I think…If only so I can help you if I can…" He put a hand to her stare. "I'm not demanding it but please, think about it…I know I'm not much use but I might be able to help and I will listen."

She eyed his stare.

"I only want to be able to help you all I can." He noted. "When you're ready…"

"I know. I will think it over, Donnie." She nodded. "Thanks for leaving it to me."

"Back soon…" he kissed her. "Don't over do…Relax a little."

"I'll curl like a cat with some milk and a good book soon as I take care of a few small things and pick up the guys to bring them to Mom's." She nodded, grinning. Closing door, waving to the departing Donnie at window.

Would it be so terrible to share it…Well, some of it…Sarah told her boyfriend.

Of course Paul was and is in on it.

He has a right to know…Some of it. And tonight, our date night, with the kids safely away at Mom's is the perfect time. She went to the dishwasher and began loading it.

Buzz…She eyed the "special" pink phone.

Damn…Not again.

This girl is out of clone club, ladies, she glared at the phone.

Oh, well…She went over, opening.

"Sarah? What is…What? What?!" she gasped. "Sarah? Calm down, who took Kira?! Sarah! What do you mean you think Mrs. S is in on it? Sarah?"

Hmmn…Never known the girl to be frantic like this…

But Kira?! Oh!

Still, just in case…She brushed back hair with both hands…

"Helena, where is Sarah?" she asked the phone. Loud burst from phone…

"Sarah, I'm sorry…Sarah? Don't hang up, I'm not being funny. You didn't sound right, I had to be sure…Now, you say they took Kira? Rachel and Dyad, you think? And Mrs. S…Your foster mother is gone, too? You're sure? All right, have you told the police? Sarah, you have to call in the police…Your partner…Beth's partner, Art? Would he help?"

Pause…Listening as she opened a hamper, pulling clothes for the washer.

"Sarah…I know you can trust Art Bell. Beth had complete faith in him. She never suspected him of being in on it. Sarah, you have to go to the police. Dyad can't get away with kidnapping. What? What…Patents?"

Huuuh…She caught hand at throat…

No…! She raced to the hamper, opening…

The stuffed angel…My stuffed angel…She gingerly reached in and lifted it.

No…The one I gave Ansley. The one she trashed when…

No, it can't be. She dropped it. No…She stared…

Oh…

Sarah… Oh, she reached for the phone. "Sarah? Sorry, I was…Distracted, for a moment. Everything's fine, here. What are you doing now? Sarah, I understand your upset state but there's no need for…Apology accepted. Do you…" pause, breath… "Do you want to come over? Should I come to you? Ok. Ok, whatever I can do. It's…" sigh.

I keep trying to get out and every time they just keep pulling me back in…

"…fine."

Hmmn…

"What was that about patents, again?"

…..

Judas Priest…Ally sat on sofa, sipping at tea.

No wine, promise is a promise…Self-discipline is good for the soul and calming.

"We're patented?! Property?!"

Ok…Ok…Sarah said Cosima said the patents couldn't hold up in court…In fact they'd be a clear indictment of Dyad…Proof of the illegal human cloning. They thought back then Republicans would rule forever and patenting people would be an every day thing. But it's meaningless, it can't be used against me…Us.

Unless we were foolish enough to sign a release form of some sort…

Oh, God…That might give it some legal standing, by our own acknowledgement.

Thanks for that, Cosima. She stared out at the opposite wall.

Now wait…Priorities. No one is here, looking to black bag me. Sarah is the one who needs help. Sarah and that lovely child, Kira. They need me. My niece needs me. Ok, good. Focus on the priority, ignore the unimportant.

I'm property…?

"Ok…Ok…Sarah said stand by, in case she needs back up…Be ready to call in the cops…That's my job. Right."

Right. Ok, tonight we tell Donnie as much as we dare. He's got to know. Everything except…

Lord, how did that doll get into the hamper? I know I couldn't have brought it unless…Maybe, without thinking?

"Ok, things to do, Hendrix. And a post to maintain…Get to it." She rose and went to the basement door, opening…

"OHHHH!..." she gasped in terror at the figure at the bottom of the stairs, slamming the door.

911…Gotta call 911…She raced to pick up her cell.

Do they deal with ghosts?

Oh, for God's sakes, just tell them you have an intruder.

Yes, I'll bet it's that ice princess Sarah mentioned…Rachel, the "proclone", here in my house, in disguise just to freak me out…

She went to the door, holding phone…Pausing…

"I've called the police, whoever you are! You better get the hell out of my basement and off my property…" she grabbed the doorknob.

Uh…Maybe some back up. She turned to grab a large knife from rack.

Of course no need to add to my list of murders…Just for show. She went to the door and with minimally trembling, fairly firm hand, opened the door, raising the knife.

Nothing…She peered.

"Ok…"

She made her way carefully downstairs…

Nope, no one…Not even the ghost of the ghost of my ex-friend, ex-monitor.

She went to the garage door, opening…

Still nothing.

Ok. Ok.

Dyad and Ms. Duncan want to play, eh.

Well…I can play too.

"Oy, mate! If you think you've fooled me and me sis Allison, you've another thing comin' on you, you bloody…Bloke!" she called. "Sarah Manning here and you know I'm tough as nails…So come on, give it your bloody best shot. Oy!"

Hmmn…

Well…

Knock from upstairs, just audible.

Uh-oh.

No, it's the door…Not someone in the house.

I think.

Great…Just the Dyad delivery service here for a pickup.

"Hello, 911…?" she spoke into the phone.

…..

Allison peered out the front door side window for a moment then opened with sigh…

Slightly but only very slightly relieved.

"Chad…What are you doing here?" she eyed the forlorn-looking Chad on her doorstep.


	2. Chapter 2

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part II…

"Chad? What are you doing here?" Allison stared at the slumped figure on her doorstep. "Come in, don't stand out there…" she pulled him in, looking round anxiously.

"Hendrix…I'm sorry to bother you, I had to come…I saw Donnie pulling out…"

"No. You have to be with your kids. And you have to leave. But through the back door, please. Chad…"

"Allison…" tearing up… "I had to see you…Ansley…"

"Chad, I'm truly sorry about Ansley. I apologize for what role I played in…Hurting your marriage." She eyed him carefully.

No, no signs of chloroform, drugs, or black body bag…

Still, for all his hangdog look and past lack of intellect, he could be as in on this as Ansley…Maybe even the mastermind…

Oh, please…Chad?

"Chad, look…There is nothing between us…" she began, as he put up his hands…

"No, you don't understand…Ally, please…I have to say this. You should come to the funeral. Make amends…Make your peace with my poor Ans…For your own sake."

"Chad…" sigh at his rather sincere-looking face… "I don't think that's a good idea, really. No one would take it well, including Donnie."

"Is he angry at you? I can speak to him, I should…"

"No, you shouldn't." she said, firmly. "Chad, what you need to do is be with your kids. They're the ones who need you now."

He sighed, wan smile… "You know that's the one thing Ans ever said to my credit…That I was a good father…"

"And you are…So go home and be that. Come, lets get you out before anyone sees you here."

He shook head… "Hendrix, I thought you were better than that. Not bothered by all this nonsense…Who cares what these people think, I'm here for Ansley."

She rolled eyes… "Chad, I don't see that Ansley would be pleased to know you'd come over here…"

"I need to make amends, Ally. I loved Ansley, even if she was kind of a ball-buster on me sometimes. She was wonderful and I let her down…" weeping…

She instinctively moved to pat, but barely managed to restrain herself…

No, this isn't my responsibility…I've got enough on my plate right now.

"It wasn't always bad between us, you know…" he began…

"Of course…Focus on the good times, now lets get you out and headed home to your sweet children…"

"She could be terrific…Not just in bed, you know…"

"I'm sure…" she pulled him along.

"It was just…All the stuff that gets into our lives…" he shook his head. "And she was under a lot of pressure…I tried to get her to relax, I really did care about her. I just got frustrated some times…"

"Of course, of course…"

"Life does that to you, Ally…You can't let it…"

Lovely…Chad waxing philosophical…She sighed inwardly…Still urging him on through the living room.

"Please, come to the funeral." He paused suddenly. "Don't let this crowd and all their hang-ups keep you from making your peace with my Ans…"

"I'll consider it, Chad. Thanks. Now, please…Don't put me in any more of an embarrassing position…Think of your kids."

"I want to speak to Donnie, with your ok…Man to man, to explain…We were just both…"

"Yes, we were…No, you can't, sorry. Donnie and I are fine…"

"Really?" he eyed her. "I heard you were staying together. That would be good news, really?"

"Really…" she nodded. "Donnie's a very understanding man and we're working it out…"

"Oh, that's so good…He's a good guy, Ally…I know I'd have trouble with something like this…"

"Yes, he's a saint. But we're fine and you'll be fine…"

"No…" he looked down, pausing again, ignoring her increasingly firm pulls… "I'll never be fine…It's all my fault…"

"What? Chad, it was an accident…So I heard…?"

"I don't know…I don't know…" he sighed. Looking at her… "How could she have died like that? Did they tell you?"

"I heard a few things…Just gossip…"

"Gossip…" he shook his head, bitterly. "The stuff that destroys lives, Ally. I can't wait to get away from this place and all that…Stuff."

"Then lets get you…"

"You know what I think?" he eyed her suddenly. "I think it just looked like an accident…"

She blanched…

"What?"

"Someone called an ambulance, did you know that? Everyone thought it was the kids when they found her, but they were called by someone else…An adult…"

"What…?" she stared…

"A woman at the hospital, the dispatcher told me…They came in with her without a dispatch, someone must have called them…"

"Really? Maybe one of the neighbors came by…?"

"Or maybe it was Ansley…She would've wanted to get the EMTs in to clear her away before the kids got home. It wasn't even a local service…"

"Suicide? You think Ansley might have committed suicide?" she blinked…

"I know you think she wasn't the type…But who knows what sets a person off, Ally? Oh, if I'd just been there or seen the warning signs."

"She seemed to have it under control, Chad…" Ally shook her head.

"What other explanation could there be?" he looked at her, woebegone look… "Unless you think someone killed her and called it in?"

"Chad…" she backed away. "I…Uh…Hope you haven't said anything like that to the police. They might think…"

"I almost wish they would. Allow me to atone a little…After all, I did kill her…"

"Chad? Nothing would be served by you going to prison for a murder you didn't commit. Think of your kids, Chad."

"I know…" he sighed.

Someone called the ambulance…She thought, with dread…

Someone knew Ansley was dead.

But maybe it was just someone snooping around who saw something…Chad's right about this place…Gossipy fishbowl…

"Chad, I appreciate you're coming to make amends and I will consider attending the funeral, ok? Now you've really got to go, all right?" she eyed him anxiously. "I have to go pick up the kids and take them to my mother's and you need to go home to your kids…You know that." She led him to the back door…

"Sure…" he sighed, nodding… "Thanks, Ally."

"Don't mention it. Ever, please…" she opened the door…

Someone knows…Maybe…

"I have to go to the funeral home this evening, they just brought her over…" he eyed her sadly. "She was so beautiful, I'm bringing her favorite dress."

"Very good…That's fine, Chad." She nodded.

"It's in my car…You want to take a look? Just in case I screwed up, as usual?" hapless shrug…

"I'm sure you got it right, the green with the gold trim, right?"

"Oh." He stared. "That one."

"Well, you would know better than me…" she urged him out.

"She always loved you, Ally, even when…"

"Thanks, bye!" she shut and locked the door.

Someone called the ambulance…Before the kids found her…

A non-local ambulance?

Maybe one equipped with plenty of…Black bags?

Ok…Ok…Lets not let this get out of proportion, Hendrix. Ambulance got called, someone peeked in or had a key and came in…

But if they did, why didn't they stay? Scream, bang on every door?

Knock at back door…

God…She frowned…

"Damnit, Chad…" she opened…Gasping…

To see a black bag, left on the porch…A large black bag…

A human-sized black bag…

And not an empty black bag…

Something very much like a human in it…

Well, on the one hand, phew…Not for me…Trembling…

On the other…

She desperately collected herself…

Chad…That freak…

Some kind of twisted, nasty psychotic…

Chad?...Really?...She eyed the bag…

"Who's out there?" she called nervously… "Is this your sick idea of a joke?"

Neighbors having fun, maybe that's it…Some sick bastard angry at my breaking the mold of this suburban hell as Sarah's brother calls it…

She inched toward the bag…A zipper inviting her…

No…No…Call the police, report a stupid, stupid prank…

She touched the zipper, hands trembling…Pulling…

Hands flying to mouth…Oh…

Oh…She fell back into the kitchen, collapsing…Unconscious…

Ansley's stricken face staring up out of the bag…Contorted and rather blue…


	3. Chapter 3

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later. (actually this is lifted from my tale "Fringey" in progress but I had so much fun with the notion of Helena impersonating Rachel at Dyad as Dyad faces exposure and collapse that I couldn't resist doing an expanded, stand alone…)

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part III…

Men in white clean room suits moving back and forth, forth and back…Vague impressions of lights flickering, in and out of her eyes…Someone taking her pulse, she was sure…

Pulling back suit mask to reveal…

"Ansley…" Allison stared at the cocked head, a pleasantly soothing look on the face…The blue face…Staring at her.

"Hey there…How is my best friend?" Ansley smiled. "Did we go and swallow a few too many of those Mother's helpers?"

"Ansley…" Ally gasped, turning to look as another figure came to her and stuck a needle into her arm…

"All done. Bye, bye…" Ansley waved. "Terrible dreams, bitch." She grinned.

Oh…Allison looked up to see a visibly worried Donnie, a man in police uniform, two others in uniform by a gurney…

"Ally…Thank God…" Donnie patted her hand.

"Lie still, Ms. Hendrix…" one of the two by the gurney had come to her. "You took quite a fall there…"

"The kids…" she gasped, trying to sit up…

"Fine…Your mother picked them up…" Donnie reassured her… "Don't get up."

"Lay back, Ms. Hendrix…" the attendant at her side urged… "BP is 150/80, pulse is stable at 62…" he told his walkie-talkie.

"What happened…Is it still here?" Ally asked.

"Is what still here?" Donnie asked… "Did you slip on something?"

"No…The patio…The…Wait, Donnie!" she tried as he hurried to the patio door and opened it.

"What is it, Ally? I don't see anything out here but the usual…" he looked back to her as the attendant shined a flashlight in her right eye.

"A bag…A big black bag…" she noted, hesitantly. "Someone left it there."

"I don't see anything, honey."

"Oh? Ok…" she sighed, nodding… "Maybe I just…Thought…"

"Did you fall over it or something?" Donnie eyed her, coming to her and kneeling by her.

"It was probably just an illusion or a shadow, maybe…Just that it startled me. I fell back, I think. What happened?"

"When you didn't pick them up, Oscar called here, then your mom, and she called me…I came over and found you on the floor…God, Ally…"

"I think I'm ok…" crooked grin. "Seems to be the week for household accidents, eh, guys?" she eyed the attendants.

"Ma'am?"

"You weren't called for the other accident, a few days…Oww…Ago?" she felt her head.

"Lie still, ma'am. No, ma'am not us."

"Ok, well we'll get you into the hospital for a few tests…" the attendant by her noted.

"I think it's ok, officer…" Donnie turned to the waiting cop. "She just took a bad fall."

"I'm fine…Really…" she nodded in agreement…Trying to sit up.

"Ally, please…" Donnie pleaded.

"We have to bring you in, ma'am…"the attendant noted.

"No…No, I'll be fine right here. Donnie? Don't let them take me?"

"Ally, I'll come with you…It'll be fine. You have to be properly looked at." He insisted.

"I'd rather stay…Donnie…" she urged.

"Honey, it's ok…Please, I won't leave you…"

"If you want a sedative, ma'am…"

"No!...No…" she calmed. "All right, if my husband rides with me."

"Of course I will…" Donnie nodded.

"That's fine, Ma'am." The attendant waved for the other attendant to come over.

"Thanks, honey…It'll be fine…" Donnie patted her. "Can you tell us what happened before you fell?"

"Just what I said…I opened the patio door and tripped or something on a black bag. I guess I fell back into the kitchen."

"Any dizziness before the incident?" the closer attendant asked, motioning for the other to assist…

"No, not at all…It was very sudden..I tripped. No big deal." She smiled.

"Big enough to nearly give me a coronary…" Donnie sighed. Taking her hand… "Was there anything else?"

She glanced at him, giving sidelong glance to the first attendant…He stared but said nothing…Slightest of nods.

Oh and there it goes…In that moment…He saw and knew. I knew he'd get it…Oh. I have my wingman, my back-up, beam….Oh…

What have I done?

Welcome to Clone Club, my beloved Donnie. God protect you. God forgive me.

…

"So…" Cosima's worried voice… "You're sure you saw Ansley in the bag?"

Allison glanced round the empty hospital bathroom she'd entered to call from…

"It was her, Cosima. Dead and blue…It must have been Chad who put her there…And the doll and the image in my mirror. He's taken over from Ansley and they're trying to drive me crazy."

"Maybe…Maybe…But I don't get why they'd want to upset you like that, unless this is some sort of psych warfare to keep you panicky."

"And very successful too…"

"Ally…"

"I know…Don't let them know they're getting to me."

"Seems a big risk dragging Ansley's body in like that…Not meaning to be insensitive, Ally."

"It's an offer I can't refuse…" Allison noted. "The horse's head from 'The Godfather'…Make no trouble or Dyad's bang boys will pop ya, clone girl."

Sigh on phone. "Could be…But again, a lotta trouble to go to to make a point. This Chad could've just told you to keep quiet or else. Or they could have left a note or a message and not blown his cover. Still, your friend is dead."

"She wasn't my friend…"

"Sorry…Your possible ex-monitor, pretend friend is dead. And I still can't wrap my head round that accident."

"Oh? Things like that happen all the time around the home. I can send you a link…" Ally, anxiously.

"Yeah, I suppose, but that ambulance coming and now this…I can't help wondering if Dyad decided…When Leekie told you they were pulling your monitor…"

"Yes…Maybe they did." Ally, rather eagerly. "She failed and the penalty was death…Like in the movies."

"It's no movie, Allison…The woman is dead. And now Kira's been kidnapped. These people are playing very rough."

"Yes, I know it's not a movie, Cosima. I'm not totally frivolous and light-headed."

"Sorry. We're all on edge here…Or there…I'm enroute on plane…"

"How is Sarah now?"

"Felix is just barely keepin' her from going to Dyad and putting a gun to Rachel Duncan's head."

"That might not be a bad way to go…" Ally noted.

"Not at Dyad…Maybe somewhere else, yes…" Cosima,carefully. "But we'll see…"

"What about Art Bell? The police? Has she contacted them?"

"She's waiting to see if Duncan responds to her message."

"Which is…?"

"Gimme my daughter back or I'll come and shoot you, personally…Basically."

"That would be my choice of option…Though I suppose Dyad Security and the police would be a problem."

"Won't do any good for Kira for Sarah to be black-bagged or go to jail…" Cosima, sighing.

"Should I call her?" Ally asked.

"I'd hold off for now…I think we'd better channel things through me. I know you want to help, Allison but…"

"I'd only make Sarah even edgier. I get it."

"Well, lets focus on you for a moment…So, you want to go ahead? Tell Donnie everything?" cautious tone.

"Cosima, I have to have someone to trust near me. And I can't keep lying to him. Literally…He knows something's going on. He'll be my back-up, like Felix. I know I can count on him."

Sigh…"Well, you know he'll think you're crazy without proof…If you need me to speak to him…"

"He'll listen, I know he will. But he'll need some proof, of course. Cosima, he can help. I know he wants to."

"Your call, Ally." Wry tone… "God knows the rest of us have taken some pretty chances with who we've told."

"Speaking of which?"

"Yes, Delphine is still with me...Say Hi, Delpy." "Hello, Allison!" call.. "And yes, I believe she is trying to help…And we need her help, Ally. I didn't want to tell you and I haven't told Sarah…"

"Tell me what?"

Slightly pleased note unmistakable…

About time she remembered who was first with her in Club Clone.

Though perhaps this won't be any cause for taking pleasure…

"I'm sick, Ally. Like Katya, our German."

"What?" Clenching the phone. "Sick, like Katya? How do you mean?"

"I'm coughing up blood…Not just now, but from time to time…Ally, please…"

"I'm not freaking or anything else." Ally, insistent. "How long have you been having symptoms?"

"Just the last few days…Though I'd had some troubles earlier, I thought it was just a bad cold hanging on."

"What about the genetic information? Is there any clue there?"

"There were no known markers for respiratory disease showing up…I don't know, we're still trying to see about unique associations."

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"I've had a exam…X-rays…Whatever it is it's not your run-of-the-mill tuberculosis or other infection."

"Aldous Leekie knows you're our expert in Science. The person who could prove we've been cloned. Cosima…Are you absolutely sure you can trust Delphine?"

"I don't think I've been poisoned, Ally. Though I haven't ruled it out. And yes, I am sure." Stern tone at end…

"Sorry…I'm just…I wasn't even sure about Donnie, you know."

"Hitting him with a golf club and tying him up is what you do when you're 'not sure'?" light tone.

"Very funny…"

"Gotta keep a sense of humor, Ally. We have to."

"Fine…Are you sure you should be travelling?"

"I have to do something…And I'm thinking it's probably best if we stay close these next few. Dyad's obviously bent on getting us to knuckle under and you know what they say, in unity…"

"…Strength…I get it. Just don't overdo, Cosima."

"And don't you take any chances trying to confront Todd or Chad or whatever his name is…"

"We won't…At least that's one good thing…" she beamed… "It's we, now…Or will be, soon…"

"Well, tell him, he's very welcome and his sisters are glad he's backing you up. Ally, I'm glad you feel you have some support at last but you know we're always here for you."

"I know…Can we meet, maybe tomorrow? My house? The kids are away for two days."

"I don't think Sarah's up for it but I'll come if she doesn't need me to stay with her. I'll let you know in the morning, ok?"

"Right…"

"And don't take any chances, Ally…Let them play their game and just keep calm and keep us informed. But if they look to be getting rough, clear out and go to the police. We'll probably be doing that anyway, soon."

"Cosima?" she paused…

"Yeah?"

"It wasn't just Chad and the bag…And the things I saw…I've been dreaming…In fact, I dreamt of being examined, by Ansley and a team…And of Ansley…And the black bag…I've been having nightmares. But maybe they weren't nightmares, maybe they were…Memories?"

"It's not impossible, Ally. You probably were medically examined on a regular basis, somehow. And if Ansley was your monitor, it stands to reason you'd remember her being with the team."

"I used to have coffee and chat with her…I'll bet that's…" Ally blinked…

"Could be, honey…Ally? Sarah's on the line…Can I?"

"Sure, sure…I'm fine. I got backup. Thanks, Cosima…Cosima? I love you, sister…Please take care of yourself. And tell Sarah, I'm praying for Kira and I love her, too."

"Thanks, Ally…Ally? Helena is dead. Sarah had to kill her. I'm sorry to tell you like this but I suppose it'll be some relief. I'll tell you more later. I love you, too, sis." She hung up.

Allison, staring at phone…

Dead? Sarah killed her?

Helena, my sister, is dead?...At our sister's hands?

I should be relieved…I know I should be…But…She teared…

Knock, gentle but firm…

"Ally? Are you ok?"

"Uh…Yes…Donnie?" she opened the door…

"Ally? What's wrong?"

"Come…Come in…Come in…Please…" she pulled him in, shutting door.

"Donnie…" she looked at him, tears streaming..

"Ally? Is it the kids? What?"

"My poor sister is dead…" she wept, burying her head in his arms…

…..


	4. Chapter 4

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part IV…

"Donnie?" cautious questioning…

"You ok?" he asked, not taking eyes from the road…

He seemed to take it reasonably well…Is he starting to have doubts…Or was he just humoring me?...

"Look…I know how it all sounded…"

He glanced at her, quickly, hand up…She stared.

Oh…My…God…

She looked straight ahead, startled but starting to smile a bit…

He's worried the car's been bugged…He believes me and then some…He's on board…Oh…

"How about we get something to eat? I'm starved and that diner's still open…" he suggested, indicating a 24 hour diner coming up on the left.

"Sure…I'm famished."

At an isolated booth, having ordered coffee and requested a chance to look at the menus, he eyed her.

"So you believe me?" she smiled…

"I don't disbelieve you…" he shook his head. "I really don't know what to think, Ally…Nine of you?"

"And counting…Probably hundreds more…But most of us nine are dead."

"And this group that…"

"Cloned…I hate the C word but there it is…Cloned us, has been monitoring us all our lives, probably from infancy."

"And you think Ansley was watching you? And Chad might still be?"

"Dyad claimed they'd pulled my monitor but we can't believe a word they say. I'm rushing this I know, Donnie…You've every right to think I need therapy, a trip back to Harkness…But I swear it's all true."

"And you thought I was in on it…Your watcher?"

"Monitor, they call them. Only for a moment…Well, for a little while. Donnie, I'm sorry…It was just I was so upset after Beth proved to me that some of us had been killed and we were in real danger." She took his hand across the table. "Then I wanted to protect you and the kids, I was afraid you'd be hurt…Physically…Plus I was afraid you might think…I…" she gulped… "…that I might be a freak, dangerous…That I couldn't be trusted with the kids…That you'd leave me…" she sobbed.

"Ally, I won't…" he took her hand. "And I'd never believe that…You might be a pain in the ass occasionally…But now that I see a reason for it…" grin…

She chuckled… "Donnie…" she wiped back tears with a napkin. "But you deserve real proof, evidence and I'll see you get that…Starting tomorrow when we meet with Cosima and maybe Sarah…"

"Sisters?…Twin sisters, clones? Who'd've believed it?" he sighed. Then blinked at her… "Wait…Does your mom know? She's always going on about what she had to do to have you. Did she allow this just to have a kid?"

"I don't think she knew anything about the project. She was probably told it was simple invitro fertilization, just as she told us. Though I guess it means she's my birth mother but not my genetic mom."

"Ally? Isn't this illegal? Human cloning?"

"Exactly…" she eyed him. "And these people have no intention of going to prison for it."

"And these nightmares you've been having, you think are partly repressed memories of when Ansley did medical tests on you? At her place…?" He blinked…

"Ansley?" he gave a wry grin…

"A medical team, Donnie…" reproving look…Pat of hand…

He pulled back in his seat… "Are you saying these people hurt you?"

"Pov, I guess. Cosima doesn't think the tests were that invasive or we'd remember better. Sarah only remember hers a bit because she wasn't used to the procedure and they used Beth's dosage of meds on her…"

"Sarah…Beth…Cosima…Helena…" Donnie began…

"Beth committed suicide, Helena is dead, Sarah killed her after she killed her birth mother…Sarah's ok, Donnie…" she eyed the worried look. "She's very…Urban…But she has a good heart and a very sweet daughter she loves. Donnie, she can have her own children. Kira's her daughter." She gave a careful glance…

"And maybe…If we force Dyad to cough up its secrets…"

"I never cared that we couldn't have kids, Ally…I mean…Sure I care…" he noted, shrugging… "But it never made any difference between us, far as I'm concerned."

"I know…And I love Gemma and Oscar…They're my life, with you, you know that. But, if this could lead to me being able to bear a child…"

"It sounds more like it could lead to you being dead or dissected…Ally, if these people and this project are as bad as you seem to think, we can't possibly handle them alone."

"We have friends, Donnie…" she paused as the waitress set down two coffees…

"A bowl of the beef stew for me…" Donnie noted to her as she stood expectantly…

"Piece of cherry pie for me." Allison smiled. "Because I feel like celebrating…" she reached again for Donnie's hand. Clasping it tightly as the waitress shrugging, headed off.

Get all kinds at this hour…

"…Anyway…Helena was the one working with the group opposed to Dyad, the religious group. She murdered several of our sisters in Europe and came here to finish us off."

"Does that mean you and the other…" he paused… "Two?"

"Three, with Rachel…The Dyad weasel…" she frowned.

"…Are all that are left?"

"Hard to say…I doubt it…" Ally sighed. "There could be hundreds, thousands of us…We know of nine for certain but who knows."

"Lot of lucky guys out there, then…" grin… "Though I won the prize."

She slowly beamed…Donald, you…

"This is incredible, Ally…Unbelievable, though…" he put up a hand… "I believe you."

"I knew you would…Forgive me for not telling you before…? Part of it really was that I didn't know what was going on."

"Sure…Just, from now on…"

"You are a charter associate member of Clone Club…I guess I'm getting used to the C-word at least…With all rights and privileges therein contained."

"Thank you. I am honored." He nodded, smiling. "So I'll meet Cosima tomorrow?"

"If she feels up to it…Donnie, that is one other downside…Katya, the German who started this all with us, she was ill with something. Now Cosima is too….Maybe the same thing…"

"Ill?"

"I'm fine…" hastily. "But we have to get answers for Cosima and potentially…Donnie, Beth Childs, my other sister, suffered from depression and bipolarity…And anxiety. She took lots of pills…"

"Ally…?"

"She was a wonderful person, Donnie. She was the one who brought us together, tried to protect us…I admired her so much…" tearing…

"And she ended up walking deliberately into a commuter train…" she looked at Donnie who blinked at her.

"We're seeing the best doctor in Toronto tomorrow…" he eyed her firmly. To her wan grin…

"Probably not the worst idea, though I have seen a doctor, after Katya…And so far, I'm ok on that front. But…" she paused.

"It may not be the worst thing for you to keep an eye on me…My moods? I know this is nothing you haven't already been doing…"

He stared at her, slight frown. "I just tried to…" She put up a hand…

"I know. I was a wreck after we found out I was barren…The therapists told you to keep an eye peeled. It's ok." She smiled. "It did upset me…Probably got my paranoia motor runnin' but I know you did it out of love and now, with my full permission, I'd just like you to continue. Just let me know if I seem to be getting, you know…Freakin' crazy." Grin. "I mean besides this talk of clones and homicidal sisters, etc. You'll have to let that pass."

"Ally, I'll do whatever you want…Just let me be a part of this and understand what's goin' on, ok?" he took her hand across the table.

"I will. After all…" she beamed. "You're my wingman now. I…" her eyes flicked to the diner window, weak light fading out into the night's black, but for…

Ansley's blue face staring mournfully at her…


	5. Chapter 5

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part V…

Face your fears…Face…Your…Fears, Hendrix…Allison told herself, peering through the brush…

"Ally?" faint whisper behind her… "Do you see anything?"

"Nothing…" she whispered back…Stepping back from the spot where she'd tried to see into the woods around them.

"I think we'd better head back…We'll get lost out here in the dark if we go any further and I can barely make out the diner's lights now."

"Ok…" sigh, she turned, downcast.

Once again, crazy Allison made a fool of…

"I'm sorry I dragged you out here…"

"It was worth a shot." He shrugged. "They can't have gotten far but they must have had a car close by."

She eyed his calm face. "Thanks for believing me…" she smiled. "Especially after I screamed like that…" sheepish look…

"It makes sense they'd keep it up…" he shrugged. "And I'd've screamed too, if I saw Ansley standing in the window. The point is, you got up and went right out after them…" smile. "That's the clone girl I married…I see I made the right selection."

"Luck of the draw…" she shrugged. Arch look… "Just don't go telling me you'd like an upgrade after you see Sarah. That would drive me freaking crazy." Grin. "Donnie, thanks, really…"

"Come here…" he told her, sternly.

"Oooh…" she grinned, stepping.

"No, this way…" he led her back…

"What?"

He waved a hand… "Just come on."

She frowned but followed him back to the diner…To just by the window where she'd seen Ansley.

"Look…" he pointed down. "I saw just as we headed out. I didn't want to waste time, but look…" he beamed at her.

Oh, my…She stared.

At two footprints in the mud…

"They must have stepped onto the stairs or the gravel soon as you cried out..." he noted. "But there's the proof, Ally. You did see someone there." He smiled at her.

"Donnie Hendrix, you…" she lunged at him… "You Canadian Sherlock…Oh…" she embraced him. "Thank you, thank you, baby."

"We ought to get back…There's always a chance, if it was Chad, we could catch him heading in…" he noted, eyeing her.

"Right." She nodded.

Hmmn…

"Donnie? What do we do if we catch him?"

"Well, if he's lugging Ansley's body around, he'll have some explaining to do to the police…And if she's not dead…" he eyed her.

"Not…Dead…?" she blinked, choking a bit…

"It's looking a little like that, don't you think?" he regarded her. "But come on, lets get moving…"

Not dead…Not…Dead…She thought.

Of course…The bitch…Not dead and having a ball jerking my chain…

Oh, thank God…Thank God…Much as I wouldn't mind doing it for real…Thank God. She hurried along after Donnie to the car.

Never thought I'd ever be so happy to be the victim of some maniacal psychological torture game…

….

Hmmn… Donnie eyed the closed garage door, darkened lights of Ansley and Chad's home, Sold sign still prominent. Allison frowning…

"Either he went somewhere else or he beat us back." Donnie sighed. "So now what?" he looked at Allison…

"I know this sounds ridiculous…" Allison pondered. "But maybe Chad's not involved? It could be Ansley's just using him, fooled him too. She could have done this all on her lonesome, Dyad could have set things up at the funeral home and all. I don't imagine Chad would be that difficult to fool. And, admit it…" she grinned at him. "It's harder to imagine Chad as the master mind behind this…Or even as Ansley's equal partner…"

"I dunno…" Donnie shook his head. "People can deceive you. Ansley was good and you say your sister Beth had an assigned boyfriend it took a year or two for her to figure out?"

Still…He grinned at Allison… "It is hard to believe…Chad."

They chuckled…

"Am I forgiven, Donnie? Truly and completely…" she eyed him. "You'd have every right to be angry…" worried look.

"I am, a little…" he sighed. "But I'm lots more worried about your safety."

"Well, short of breaking and entering…I think we've done all we can for tonight…And it is supposed to be our night." She smiled at him.

"And it is…But, Ally…Suppose…" he eyed her… "Ally? Would my wife with the new and mysterious secret life care to walk a little bit more on the wild side?"

She blinked at him…Both glanced at the darkened home…

"I am completely familiar with the neighborhood watch schedule…" she noted. "And I do still have Ansley's keys, if she hadn't had the locks changed…" she regarded him…

"They've been stalking us…I say it's time clone club team Hendrix turned the tables…" he noted, to her delighted grin.

And Felix says we suburbans are all boring…She thought, beaming.

…..

"It's definitely a new lock…" Allison hissed to the figure in black sweats besides her, she likewise camouflaged. Rattling key in the lock uselessly…A sudden crack…

They looked around the fenced back yard, tensing…

Catlike reflexes, she noted, happily.

All that PS-100 and video dance has been working.

No one…

"Must have been an animal…" Donnie noted in whisper.

She nodded… "Should we give it up? Donnie?" she stared as he picked up a large rock and wrapped it in a coverlet of one of the patio swing chair's cushions…

Carefully ramming it through a window pane next to the doorknob…Shattering in one blow…

"Donnie?! Careful, don't cut yourself!" she hissed as he gingerly put hand through the broken pane and reaching in, unlocked the door…

"Voila…" he noted with grin, opening… "You remember David Grimes?"

"I never liked him…" she shook head. "He was trouble. I knew you'd pick up bad habits hanging around him." Grin… "But I see I owe him for this…"

She eyed him as he waited to let her pass…

"Only one time…It was a dare…High school. We didn't steal anything." He noted, sheepishly.

"Oscar never hears about this. Not even as a buddy dad story…"

"Right." Sigh.

"But nice to know we have an alternate career just in case…" she smiled, entering…

…..

The dark house was empty, though to Allison's frowning judgment hardly meriting the phrase "clean as a whistle". Aiming the flashlight they'd found in the kitchen about the room…

God, if we were moving in here…She stared at Donnie as he tapped at the living room wall…

"Are you actually trying to find a secret compartment?" she blinked.

"Can't rule out anything…" he shrugged. "Though the den's the best choice…I'd look at the floorboards too. Remember that German film where the dissidents hid the typewriter under the floor boards?"

Oh…She stared at him, tapping gently away…

When did I let myself forget how much fun life with Donnie Hendrix could be? Why did we let things get in the way?

Well, pretty major things…But still…

"What?" he blinked at her kiss.

"Don't let me interrupt, Mr. Holmes…I'll get started in the library…" she noted, beaming.

Uh-oh…She looked to see the alarm light blinking in the hallway…

Set to silence…

"Donnie?!" she turned. And saw, in the light of the flashlight…A spot on the floor…

"Donnie…Look!" she pointed at the slightly raised board. He hurrying over…

"Can you try it? Then we'd better get out of here!" she hissed.

He pulled at the board which moved easily… "Chad or Ansley must have been in a hurry…" he noted, lifting…

An empty space…Just like in the movie…He looked up at Allison in triumph, she beaming back.

Yes! Vindication…Nothing there, but vindication nonetheless!

The lights came on suddenly, they both blinked and turned.

"Allison?! Donnie?!" horrified look followed by annoyance… "What are you doing in here?"

…..

"So let me get this straight?" the female officer eyed the two seated at table. "You broke into your dead neighbor's former home…That of her and her husband…Whom you, Mrs…Hendrix?"

"Hendrix, yes…"

"Had had an affair with…According to your neighbor's statement…"

"I don't see what that would have to do…" Donnie began…

The officer put up a hand…

"I'll decide what's relevant here, Hendrix." She frowned.

"Ma'am…" Allison cut in… 

"Your lawyer's been called, Mrs. Hendrix…And you two will definitely be needing his or her services."

"No, I wanted to ask if I could speak to Detective Art…Arthur…Bell?"

"Art? You wanna speak to Art? And why is that, Ms. Hendrix?" hard stare…

"Well…We have a mutual acquaintance, sort of…" Allison smiled, a bit forced. "Two of them, actually…"

"Really? So you know Sarah and Beth?" Officer DeAngelis eyed her.


	6. Chapter 6

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part VI…

Police station conference room…

Art Bell stared for a long moment at the figure in black sweats and pulled cap in the chair who looked up at him, a guardedly hopeful expression…Next to her a rather large fellow, likewise somewhat more ludicrously in black. Officer DeAngelis eyeing him…Slightest shake of head…

No, not Sarah…

"Mrs…Hendrix?" he finally addressed Allison.

"Detective Bell? I know I must be something of a shock…"

"Putting it mildly…" he took a seat across from her and Donnie.

"I understand…" she nodded, shy smile… "It's unnerving to me too, really…"

"Uh-huh…And you are…Mr. Hendrix?" Art eyed Donnie…

Donnie nodding… "Look, you people have to protect my wife…"

"Mr. Hendrix…" Officer DeAngelis, coolly… "Lets remember you're both here on a charge of breaking and entering your neighbor's home. Nabbed by your own neighborhood watch…"

"Angie…" Art put up a hand… "Why do we need to protect Mrs. Hendrix, sir?"

"Donnie…" Allison cut in before he could speak. "Arthur…May I call you Arthur?"

"No." Art, sternly.

"Sorry. Detective Bell…You know my sister Sarah…And you knew Beth…And you know about Katya." She eyed him.

"And it appears there's also, you. And that one of you at least is a murderess." He replied, calmly.

"Where is Sarah Manning, by the way?" Officer DeAngelis asked.

"She's part of the reason I'm here…I mean…That we broke into that house…" Allison began… "You see…"

"Art…Angie…" the door had opened suddenly…

Daniel Rosen and the Captain entered…

Oh, God…Not again…DeAngelis eyed Art, who sighed. Grim expression on the Captain's face…

"Detectives." Rosen nodded coldly. "Mrs. Hendrix, I'm Daniel Rosen, your lawyer. You're free to go. You too, Mr. Hendrix. Please come with me now."

Allison stared…

"You're not our lawyer…" Donnie began.

"I'm appointed by Mrs. Hendrix' legal guardian…Officers, I'll be taking the Hendrixes now. Captain?"

"Again, folks…Sorry…" he sighed to Art and DeAngelis…

"I'm not going with him…He's from Dyad…Donnie?!" Allison turned.

"No way…" Donnie agreed.

Rosen eyed them both coolly…The Captain frowning…

"Art?! Don't let him take us! They're monsters!" Allison pleaded to him.

"We're not going anywhere!" Donnie glared.

DeAngelis, a questioning glance to the Captain, then Art…Who eyed Allison's anxious face…

"Mrs. Hendrix…I must ask you to say no more to the police and I enjoin them to forget anything you have said. I have the legal authority to compel you to come but I'll simply point out that if you don't come, your husband will be jailed and with his having a criminal record and your questionable status your children's adoptive status may be placed in jeopardy." Rosen, calm, flat tone.

"Captain, if Mrs. Hendrix feels her life is endangered…" Art began…

"You couldn't…" Allison stared at Rosen.

"What do you mean, legal guardian? Questionable status?" Donnie, to Rosen.

"It's confidential but I believe Mrs. Hendrix knows what I'm referring to…" Rosen, calmly.  
"Captain, there's no danger or threat to Mrs. Hendrix here. She has a history of emotional trouble and abuse of various substances of which I have full documentation. I've already shown you my power of attorney and the proof of her legal status…"

"Captain…" DeAngelis, a grim look at Rosen.

"If the lady feels endangered Mr. Rosen…" the Captain noted quietly.

"Mrs. Hendrix…I would also note that your family could face considerable financial penalities…And there is another matter to which I won't refer but which again I believe you are quite familiar concerning your neighbor…The late neighbor in whose home you were arrested tonight?" Rosen, grimly now. "I can assure you we only have your best interests in mind and you won't be harmed. We only wish to resolve this matter and to exercise our right to meet with periodically. You have five minutes to make up your mind."

Allison, blinking…

No…

Oh, God…A set-up…Like on TV…I've been set up.

"They said only twice a year…I'm not going…"

"She's not going…Get out…" Donnie rose.

"Hendrix…" Art, firmly. "Mr. Hendrix…" The Captain echoed.

"And this would be the first of two…" Rosen noted, quietly eyeing Donnie. "If you're concerned, your husband may come. It'll be a short meeting, I assure you. There are just a few matters to review."

"Perhaps you wouldn't mind if I come then." Art cut in. "To assure Mrs. Hendrix comes to no harm…"

"Impossible. But Mr. Hendrix may attend. Captain?" Rosen turned to him. "If this continues more than two minutes longer, your department will face a lawsuit and probable investigation."

"What's this about legal guardianship…I never signed anything about…" Allison began…

"Implied by your release, Mrs. Hendrix, given that Dyad Institute has a proprietary interest here. More than that I can't go into."

"You don't own me…" she rose, furious. "No! I'm a human being, not property. Donnie?!"

"We're not going anywhere." Donnie, grimly.

"What is this all about, Rosen?" Art moved to stand before him… "I want answers…"

"One minute, Captain…" Rosen, calmly. "Detective, I'll have you up on threat charges if you don't move away."

Art, backing, equally calm… "Sorry. But a citizen has declared you to be a threat to her safety…"

"And I commend you for your devotion to duty." Rosen, blandly. "But Mrs. Hendrix is in no danger…Mrs. Hendrix? I've told you the consequences and your time's up. Will you come, with your husband…And these dutiful peace officers no doubt awaiting your safe return? Or do I start proceedings to terminate your children's adoption?"

"I…I'll go." Allison, closing eyes briefly.

"Ally, no…" Donnie, insistent.

"He won't harm me…The police know he has me. And you'll be there." She sighed. "Arthur? Detective Bell?" she corrected. "If we don't come back…How long?" she turned to Rosen…

"Shouldn't take more than two hours at most, ma'am." He noted calmly.

"…in two hours."

"Dyad Institute, all right, Mrs. Hendrix." Art nodded. Eyeing Rosen. "We will raid that place and your office if I don't see that Mrs. Hendrix is home and safe in two hours."

"I'll second that." The Captain nodded.

….

"So…What's it like working for the modern equivalent of Nazis…? I mean, as a lawyer?" Allison, striving for a calm demeanor as the Lexus in which she and Donnie now rode, with Rosen and a driver in front, sped along.

"I'm not able to discuss my work for Dyad with you, Mrs. Hendrix." Rosen, calmly. "But I will again assure you that you and your husband will come to no harm."

"Forgive me if I find that difficult to believe considering you just threatened to steal my children if I didn't come." Allison replied.

"No threat was intended, merely a statement of fact." Rosen replied.

"We'll see when we have you in court. Where are you taking us?" Donnie demanded.

"I doubt you'd find a lawsuit against us worthwhile, Mr. Hendrix. We're almost there."

"Dyad?" Allison asked, nervously.

"Their corporate offices…" Rosen nodded.

"Ally?..." Donnie hissed, glancing at the car door…

She gave guarded nod no… "Sarah got out of there twice…I don't think they mean to harm me, physically." She whispered. He nodded back…

"Just what is all this about legal guardianships and proprietary relationships, Rosen. My wife told me she signed a release form that declared her free of you people except for medical testing a couple of times a year. Human cloning's illegal by the way…" Donnie, insistent.

"We would argue otherwise. It'll be for the courts to decide if it comes to that. Further I'm not at liberty to discuss, except to say once again your wife is in no danger. From Dyad Institute…"

"Helena's dead, Mr. Rosen." Allison noted.

"I have no comment to make on that, Mrs. Hendrix. I'd suggest you hold your questions until we arrive at our destination."

"I never should have trusted them…Never…Never…" Allison shaking head…

"We'll work this out, Ally…They can't hurt you, too many people know where you're going." Donnie noted, taking her hand.

"Mrs. Hendrix? I have several of your anti-anxiety medications on hand if you'd like…" Rosen noted.

"No!" she glared. "You people have drugged and blinded me enough…"

"Mrs. Hendrix." Rosen looked back at her, direct stare. "I would point out that Dyad just saved you and your husband from a possible felony charge and the potential loss of your children. And knowing as we both do about the larger matter and the threats to your safety regardless of the demise of the person you mentioned, I would suggest that objectively you'd be wise to meet and discuss all matters at length with my employers."

"What 'larger matter'?" Donnie stared. "Do you mean this cloning project? And what threats, by whom?"

"I think Mrs. Hendrix knows what I'm referring to in both cases, sir. And in any case, best to discuss that at our destination." Rosen turned back to the road.

The car turned off the highway to a road leading to the grounds of what was tastefully yet boldly proclaimed by the large carved letters on the gleaming tower before them to be the Dyad Institute for Advanced Genomic Research.

"Ally? What the hell is this suit talking about?" Donnie, anxiously to her nervous look…

"You'd do that?" Allison stared at Rosen's head. "She's not really dead, but you'd kill her just to implicate me, is that it?"

"Ally?" Donnie stared…

"As a piece of advice, I think you ought to be very cautious about what you say on this subject, Mrs. Hendrix." Rosen replied, not turning head.

"Here we are."


	7. Chapter 7

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part VII…

Toronto Metropolitan Police…

Desk of Arthur Bell…

"Any word on our odd couple?" Officer DeAngelis leaned in the chair she'd just taken, eyeing a frowning Art Bell in his chair.

"Not so far…" shrug. "But they've barely had time to reach Dyad."

"Art…" sigh. "Just what the hell is going on here?"

"Your guess is good as mine, Angie…" he shook his head. "But it all leads back to this Dyad, Dyad Institute." He indicated his computer screen, on which Dyad Institute's website could be seen.

"What would a big genetics firm have to do with our murders and our little knot of Dionne quints?"

"I don't know…" he pulled away from the screen.

"Well, could they work there? Could they know something about the place? There's gotta be some reason…"DeAngelis peered at the screen, a little video featuring Aldous Leekie now playing…Aldous in lab coat cheerily strolling the hallowed halls of Science…Laying out the wonders of the glorious future Dyad Institute will shortly be bringing you…

"Art?" she looked as Bell fingered a cell phone…He looked at her.

"This is Beth's phone…Sarah left it."

"So…It has contact numbers." Officer DeAngelis nodded.

"Just Sarah, Paul…Maybe Allison Hendrix…Sarah's brother, foster brother…Paul…" Art paused.

"You think he might be in on this?"

"That clown Vic sure suggested someone fitting Paul's general description was involved when we talked to him." Bell noted thoughtfully.

"Maybe there's more than just a pretty face there, eh?" grin. "I know you never liked him…"

"There was always something phony about him…" Art shrugged. "He was hurting Beth somehow…" frown…

"I remember how you used to chase him away from the station…The only time you ever really got annoyed with Beth was over him." Wry smile. "Art, she'd appreciate all you've been tryin' to do for her."

"I don't need a hug, Angie." He eyed her smile.

"Dipshit…" grin. "Ok, so why don't we give Square-Jawed Sid a call, shake up his perfect little world, and see what falls out? Maybe Sarah Manning…?" hard stare.

…

Dyad Institute…

Office of Rachel Duncan…

"Mrs. Hendrix…" Rachel, in pale green dress, frosted hair, high heels, a coolly appraising look, offering an extended hand which Allison stared at a long moment.

"I'm not your property." She said, firmly.

"Please sit down. You, too, Mr. Hendrix." Rachel waved them to seats…Rosen heading off.

"So where is Dr. Leekie?" Allison eyed Rachel, finally taking seat after a moment. Donnie likewise. "And more important what have you done with my sister's child?"

"If you're referring to Ms. Manning's daughter, Kira, I couldn't say." Rachel shook her head. "After all, Sarah refused our protection. If Kira is missing, it's possible…"

"If you mean that group behind Helena, she's dead and I doubt her people have much else. What did you do with Kira? And what are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing, to be succinct." Rachel, calmly. "As I say, I know nothing about Kira Manning's where abouts and as for you, you are merely here to discuss some details of our agreement."

"How can you go along with this? Let yourself be considered Dyad property?" Allison shook her head. "Have you really drunk that much Neolution koolaid?"

"Neolution is a movement which Dyad supports but is not a part of…So my answer is no, dear, I haven't drunk the koolaid as you put it. But I do support the results of this project. I wish you could see the forest rather than the trees here, Allison."

"Mrs. Hendrix, if you must." Allison, grimly.

"We want answers…" Donnie cut in. "And they start with, why are we here?"

"And not in a jail cell?" Rachel smiled. "I should think that would have to be something on the positive side of the balance of our agreement."

"All right…" Allison, waving hand to cut off discussion. "You obviously won't tell us anything about Kira. What is it you want from us and when can we go home?"

"Mainly to keep you out of prison, Ms. Hendrix." Rachel eyed her. "It should be easy to understand that it would not be to our best interests to have you locked away, out of reach."

"A point for prison, then." Allison frowned.

"Not really…" Rachel, coolly.

"It was just a misunderstanding…" Donnie began.

"I think…" Rachel eyed Allison. "…With no offense intended to Mr. Hendrix…That it might be wise for us to continue our discussion alone."

"I'm not leaving Ally alone with you people." Donnie glared. "I was promised…"

"You were promised you could accompany her here." Rachel, cold smile. "But I leave it to Mrs. Hendrix…Allison?" Hard stare…

Allison, rubbing cheek on folded hands in anxiety…

"Donnie?"

"I'm not leaving you alone here. The police know we're here, you know." He frowned at Rachel.

"You'll just be in the outer office…But it's up to Allison, as I said."

"Donnie…Maybe it would be best…Just to hear her out in private." Allison noted.

"There's nothing she can say to you that'll shock me." He frowned. "I know about the cloning thing and who you are…"

"We gathered that…" Rachel, dryly. "Otherwise, I assure you, you would not be here now."

"Donnie…? Please…?" Allison took his hand. "I'll be fine. If she does anything I'll scream…And you know how good a screamer I am when I need to be." Wan smile.

"If you want Ally…" sigh. "But I don't like it."

"You'll be right by that door." Rachel indicated a side office door. "You can even watch us through the windows." Smile.

"Give us a moment…" Donnie demanded.

"By all means…" Rachel nodded, rising elegantly and striding off and out of the office, closing door.

He frowned and leaned to Ally. "Are you sure?" he whispered. "What is it?"

"Yes…Please…Later…I promise." She whispered back.

"Code…Gemma has a cold." He whispered.

"What?"

"Just in case…I want to be sure it's you."

She smiled wanly.

My wingman…

Oh, God…

They know…She eyed his worried face…

If they didn't kill her, after the fact…

"Whatever she's using, Ally…?"

"I will tell you…Later. I swear, Donnie…" she eyed him. He nodded, moving to the door.

And now he's an accomplice. What have I done to us? Judas Priest, what have I done?

Wait…Wait just a mo…

Donnie thinks they might pull a switch?

God, they probably have got ten more Allisons sitting around somewhere…

Hmmn…

You know…Maybe the lead actress of the Glendale Community Theater can play the same game with these bastards.

Now that's one way to finally get a few answers…

"Donnie…" she hissed, waving him back.


	8. Chapter 8

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part VIII…

Dyad Institute…

Office of Executive Vice-President Rachel Duncan…

"So just what was it you wanted to discuss Ms. Duncan?" Allison, seated a bit primly, affecting a calm she most certainly did not feel.

"Come now, Mrs. Hendrix…" Rachel, cool stare. "You know all too well the matter I'm referring to…"

"I have the slightest idea…Oh…" Allison managed a concerned look. "If you mean Sarah's shooting of Helena, it was purely self-defense. We still intend to press kidnapping charges." High-minded look. Glancing over Rachel's desk…

"It's unfortunate that you assumed we didn't maintain surveillance on your monitor, including inside her home…" Rachel eyed her. "I'm afraid the police would find our surveillance videos quite interesting."

"My monitor…You mean Ansley? Poor thing. I assumed…And I think the police will…That you killed her when she failed her mission. Are you trying to blackmail me? I really think they'll see it my…" Allison stared at the computer screen Rachel had swung round, showing Allison nervously standing by Ansley's garbage disposal switch and then passing the dead Ansley gingerly.

"Nice faked video." Allison, rather impressed by her own portrayal of serene calm.

I am a good actress…She thought.

"Mrs. Hendrix…" sigh. "If you really wish to play this the hard way, over what you'll soon find is quite a trivial matter…"

"I hafta say I admire that thing with the images and the corpse in the bag…Tell me…" Allison smiled as coolly as she could…Yeah, not too bad…She eyed herself… "Was Ansley still alive when you left her in the bag or was she dead? Oh, that's right we met her again, on her feet at the diner, staring in at us…"

Rachel…Coolly amused smile… Which turned to a slight frown as Allison shrieked suddenly and pointed at the large office window.

"It's her, again!" cry…

Rachel, with frown, turning…

To gasp with shock as Allison suddenly caught her from behind with the cord of the lamp on her desk…

"Two can play at these games, you daughter of a bitch…!" Allison hissed, pulling at the cord as Rachel struggled.

Donnie hurrying back in now, nervously looking out the office windows as Rachel struggled, nearly elbowing Allison in the stomach…He raced to them and grabbed Rachel's arms…

"You…Son..Of..A…!" Rachel managed to choke out…He covered her mouth and Allison released the cord to him, he taking it in one hand, pulling...

"What are we gonna do with her?" he hissed to Ally…She now holding Rachel's arms…

Oh…There's that familiar blue hue appearing again…I know that hue…

Donnie had caught the approaching point of no return as well and relaxed the cord again, keeping the mouth covered.

"The closet…" Ally pointed… "Use the cord to tied her wrists…!"

She hurried to the said closet and opened the door.

"But…" he stared… "You'll need her clothes…"

"We'll get them, come on." She insisted. Rachel, struggling

"Are you sure?" he eyed her… "They could be watching…"

"She's not the type to allow her office to be bugged. I'm sure of that…Just bring her along, quick before someone comes by and decides to have a check-in."

"But…What about…?"

"Donnie…I appreciate your squeamishness, but you have seen me naked many times…Just pretend it's me."

Rachel, catching the conversation, now struggling furiously…Donnie, with sigh, dragging…

Ok…Allison breathed deeply…

Motivation…Power and wealth. Characterization…Evil and greedy…Power-hungry, indifferent to human suffering, even our sisters.

As for the Brit accent I got that nailed…

"Ally…" Donnie hissed loudly as he dared as Rachel, now standing by the open closet, struggled desperately.

"I'll be right along…Mr. Hendrix…" coolly arch Brit accent.

"Say, that's not bad…" Donnie nodded appreciatively.

Arrghff…Rachel squirmed.

"What about her hair?" he eyed Ally, both eyeing Rachel who paused in her struggles to stare at them. Backing slightly in Donnie's grip…

"I knew it…" Ally, triumphantly pulling off silver-blond wig…Rachel's short, dark hair revealed…

Hmmn…Very…Whoa…

"Is she…?" Donnie blinked.

"Yeah…" long stare… "Bald…" Allison nodded. Staring at the downcast, rather humiliated Rachel…

"Well now I can see why she's willing to stoop to anything to please these maniacs." Allison noted. Putting on wig and adjusting…

….

"Hey, Paul." Art put on a fake cheeriness. "Just wanted to give you a ring and see if Beth might be available."

Officer DeAngelis in her seat at Art's office space, rolling eyes…

"Oh, really…Out shopping…Hmmn…Well…Paul…Maybe you could help me…?" he eyed DeAngelis who signaled the office tech Raj who sat now at her computer, typing. Giving a thumbs' up a moment later.

Ok…Angie turned, nodding to Art…

Just give us a few more minutes…

"So are you at the apartment now?" Art went on, maintaining his fake bonhomie…

"Great. Well, would it be possible for me to come over and speak with you. It's pretty important but not something I'd like to discuss over the phone. It involves the Maggie Chen shooting and the murder we were investigating…?"

Angie, narrow stare at Raj…Well?

Thumbs up…

She turned back to Art…Ok…Nod.

"Well, I understand, Paul. But if there might be another day…This really is important. And I really feel you need to hear about it. Tuesday night, 7:30? Fine, great…Thanks, Paul. I appreciate it. Tell Beth, she deserves a kick in the keyster for walking out like that but we all miss her. Thanks. See you Tuesday." He hung up.

"You think he bought that?" Angie eyed him.

"Course not…He knows I know Beth's dead but he has to cover…I don't he knows that I know about him though. Sarah never told me and he has to assume I don't."

"So…You'll wait till Tuesday?"

"If Raj has his location…Not a chance…" he rose, looking to where Raj was coming over, looking rather triumphant.

"What did you tell him, anyway?"

"I said you thought that schmuck Paul was up to something that had something to do with whatever's going with Beth." Angie shrugged. "Seems nobody liked poor ole Paul that much." Smile.

…

"Well?" Donnie hissed at the Allison intently staring at Rachel's laptop, typing from a list of passwords, searching…

"Nothing yet except a file on Sarah without mention of Kira…Must have been before…Oh…Here's one on me…" Allison eyed the file.

"Don't waste time with that…" Donnie urged, tensely. "That Rosen is sure to be back any second…Or someone…"

"She has pictures of us, in the house…In our bedroom…Goddamn Ansley. Did she have a camera in our house? What am I saying, of course…Here's some case files from Harkness. Donnie?" she looked up. "I think they had me examined there, when Mom sent me and when I went after my breakdown…"

"Harkness? They examined you?" he stared.

"Mom couldn't…She couldn't have been in on it?" she looked at Donnie.

"Ally…It might be best to just…"

The door opened…

"And I want answers, Ms. Duncan!" Donnie demanded loudly…Fist bang on table…

"Is everything all right, Ms. Duncan?" Rosen, calmly from the door.

"Yes. Certainly." Allison nodded. Trying to maintain an icy demeanor… "Mr. Hendrix here was just expressing his concerns."

"I see…Dr. Leekie is here. He was wondering if you'd need him to stop by, before the Hendrixes left?"

"Dr. Leekie? Here?" Allison blinked. "Uh, no…No, not at this time. Ms. Hendrix is already upset enough, she had to run to the bathroom. No, tell…Aldous…That I won't need his assistance just yet. Leave everything to me, Mr. Rosen. Thank you."

"Of course, ma'am. Mr. Hendrix." Rosen nodded. "I'll be by for you and Ms. Hendrix in half-an-hour as promised."

"Yes, that's fine." Allison urged. He closed the door.

"Phew…" Donnie sighed.

Both looking at the closed closet from which came the sound of a foot painfully striking the door.

"Good thing you took her high heels…" Donnie noted.

"Yes…" Allison, calmly… "Donnie, we better see that she's secured…I've found a flash drive, we can transfer the files and look at everything at home."

"Right…" he nodded, hurrying over to the closet, she following just behind. He opened to see Rachel on the floor in an open dress bag, feet flailing a bit…Groaning and nursing her injured right foot. "I think she's…" he turned…

"Ally?" he looked at the gun in Allison's hand.

"You lying son of a bitch…" she glared, tears running fiercely. "You bastard, lying son of a bitch…Donnie…Donnie…" she wept.


	9. Chapter 9

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part IX…

Rachel Duncan's office, Dyad Institute…

Donnie, pleading tone… "Ally…"

"I loved you so, Donnie…Most of everything that drove me crazy about all this these past months since Beth Childs confronted me and told me why there was a reason for all the little, strange, dark things at the edge of my life was that it might cost me you and the kids, mostly…You. That I might be a threat to you…That you might be hurt. I'd've rather died, rather run from you and hid, even given myself up to them, then let you be hurt." Allison, tears running, but gun steady. "When I started to put two and two together…I was horrified. When I decided you were my monitor and then thought I was wrong, I was so ashamed but I was joyful…I was joyful." She trembled. "And now…Now…If it weren't for the kids. And my sisters…I'd let these bastards have me, and gladly. Cut me up, do whatever they want."

"Ally, no…" Donnie, desperately. "You can think what you want about me, hate me, but you can't let…"

"You're a good monitor, Hendrix." She eyed him, wiping face. "Protect the subject at all costs, right?…Right? You know? The saddest thing of all is I hope you'll lie to me, again…Convince me it's not true…"

"I didn't know this was what it was all about, Ally…"

"Get in the closet…" she commanded, waving pistol. "I don't care, as I've said, for me…But my sisters, the kids, poor Sarah's daughter. They have to be protected. Get in." curtly.

"If Leekie or that lawyer comes, they'll want to know where I am…" he noted.

"I'm Rachel…I'll just say the two of you fled…They'll start a search of the grounds."

"They have cameras in the halls, Ally…They'll see we didn't go. At least let me…"

"In." she pointed the gun. He sighed but stepped inside the closet, a squeak from Rachel followed by his hasty apology as he accidentally stepped on her squirming leg.

"Turn round! Kneel!" she ordered. He turned, then knelt, avoiding Rachel on the closet floor.

"Hands behind your back!" Allison pulling duct tape out and binding his hands quickly.

"I only knew Leekie as your therapist…Your mom…" he began, hastily…She taking a scarf from a hanger and holding it to his mouth from behind… "Open!"

"Ally!" he tried, but at the touch of the gun barrel to the back of his head opened his mouth. She stuffed the scarf in and duct taped it tightly, pulling the tape roll around his head several times. Then more tape around the wrists. Finally she lifted his legs slightly to tape those as well…Meanwhile Rachel still struggling a bit, though clearly listening as well…

"Mmmphf!" he cried out as Allison shut the door.

Ok. She noted to herself, taking Rachel's chair…Adjusting wig with aid of mirrored glass on the walls, smoothing clothes. Clicking on laptop.

Ok…Good. All things in their right place. She eyed the closet.

Hmmn…Monitor Hendrix doesn't seem to be making much rumpus…Maybe…She got up again and went to the closet door, opening.

Donnie kneeling quietly…Rachel squirming desparately. He hearing the door, feeling the light on face, craning his neck.

"Ok…Good. I hope you two will be very happy." She closed the door and hurried back to Rachel's desk.

Mom? Therapist?

Oh…No…

No. She eyed the laptop, opening several files.

Not again…I won't be fooled again. Lives at stake here. She eyed the list of folders.

Must be a "Hendrix" folder here somewhere…With Paul Dierden, maybe?

Well, leave that for now…Kira. We must find out what they've done with…

"Rachel?" Aldous Leekie's voice at the office door.

"Hey, Duncan…" Chad's cheery voice as well…

She sat at desk, eyes bulging…

…

"What can I tell you, Aldous?" Allison shrugged, struggling to keep calm and keep her pistol hand near the drawer where she'd placed the gun. "Allison asked to use the ladies room, Hendrix went with her. I didn't want to upset her by insisting he stay. Where could they go, after all?"

Chad, amused grin… "If I know Hendrix, she's got Donnie trying to crawl out some window…"

"It's only been five minutes…" she desperately repressed the "Chad" on her lips.

God knows what his real name is…

Ok, so I had at least two monitors…Maybe three? Does Ansley pop her head in in another minute?

"Well, I don't want them getting hurt. If they're not back in five, we'd best call Security." Leekie shook his head.

"Give them a few minutes to try and scheme, Aldous…" Allison, giving him a cool smile, regaining a little composure. "We want her to feel in some control here."

"You sure you want me here, Aldous?…" 'Chad' noted. "I'd probably set off the little control freak's panic button…" grin to Allison. Allison giving brittle smile back.

"I want her to trust us." Leekie shrugged. "A little disclosure to gain that is worthwhile."

"Better to sacrifice Hendrix than me…" 'Chad', mock protest. "Though it will be a relief to get outta the field and back to the lab."

Jesus…Allison blinked.

Him?

Chad? Or, rather 'Chad'?

Is a scientist?

"Not like dear ole 'Donnie's' any great loss…" chuckle. "And I still think I could've gotten things really going with Allison given a little more time. Whatdya think, Duncan?" smile to her brittle one…

"Of course…" Allison, struggling to keep smile on face.

"I disagree." Leekie shook head. "We're far better off with a blinded monitor than a self-aware, Norris. Hendrix has been a major asset."

"If it means I can leave suburban hell, I've no objection to it." 'Chad' grinned. "Right, Duncan?" he leaned over her desk to kiss her cheek.

Hmmn? Allison, staring…

"Yeah. Right…Uh, right." She resumed Brit accent.

Rachel? And…Chad?

Eehew…

And I thought the idea of Leekie and Rachel was bad…

"Rachel? Anything wrong?" Leekie asked.

"Hmmn? What, Aldous? No…Uh, just wondering if I made a mistake letting the Hendrixes step out together."

"Well, if they run anywhere, Allison will feel more in control and secure." Leekie shrugged. "I wonder if it wouldn't be best to just let them 'escape'?"

"Yes…" Allison grabbed at the chance. "That might be the best thing, Aldous. Let the silly suburbanite think she's outwitted us and escaped. It's sure to restore her confidence in Don…in Hendrix."

"Well, I did hope to try and recover our lost ground with her. Things were promising before our dear Sarah got to her." Aldous sighed. "But the main thing was to get her and Hendrix out of a jail charge."

"And of course restore her faith in our plant…" Allison noted.

"Good ole Donnie…Well, if you think that's the way to go, Aldous. So…" 'Chad' eyed Rachel. "Did poor ole Ally say anything about our little game with Ansley? That must have had her climbing the walls."

"No. No, she didn't. She was too busy tell me how she'd destroy us all, she and Sarah and Cosima. Destroy us and see us in prison for the rest of our unnatural lives. In fact I think she'd caught on to all that with the body dumping and the face everywhere." Struggling to keep calm pose.

"Really?" Leekie frowned. "Did Hendrix say anything? Did he give you any indication he might've spilled the beans to Ally?"

"What a sight that would be…" 'Chad' chuckled. "I can just see him blubbering 'oh, God…Forgive me, Ally'…I hope I didn't miss it."

"No, you didn't miss a trick." Allison, curtly. "Sorry I had to miss you with her, mourning..."

"That was an Oscar winner…" nod.

"They seem to be taking a while…" Leekie noted…Looking up at Allison from his chair.

"Perhaps I'd better go see…Aldous." She rose.

Jumping a bit as 'Chad' put an arm round and pulled her close… "I hope we're still on for tonight, Duncan." Smile…

Uh…She blinked at his smirking face two inches away as Leekie, rising, frowning, peered out the window to the office hallway.

"Why, certainly…"

Oh, God…Do any of us have the remotest amount of self-respect necessary to either find someone trustworthy or go the virginal nun…

Hmmn, right…My crazy dead sister…Now that would be amusing if she's the one of us with the best (lack thereof) love life…

"Be right back…" she smiled. Leekie nodding…

"Laying it on a bit thick, Norris…" Leekie glared at 'Chad' once the door had closed. Leekie moving to the laptop and checking.

"Just wanted to be sure, sir. No offense to you or Ms. Duncan intended." He smiled. "What do you suppose she did with Rachel? Let alone Hendrix?"

"Lets just hope she didn't kill her. And you should hope she knew about Hendrix, Norris." Hard stare, return to studying the opened folders.

"Sir, like the others, she's good. I only guessed when I made fun of Hendrix and she flinched…" shrug.

"Fair enough…And how politick of you not to point out I didn't catch on first…I see great things, Norris." Leekie smiled coolly. Closing laptop…

"Did she get anything?"

"Enough hopefully to convince her we don't have Kira Manning…And to get her setting out on the search…" Leekie glanced around the room, eyeing the closet carefully. Rising…

Phone buzzing and Rachel's on desk ringing…Leekie pulled his out and at his glance, Norris grabbed Rachel's…Just as an alarm began sounding…

"Ms. Duncan told you she'd been knocked unconsciousness and left in the bathroom?" Leekie asked the phone. "Alright, fine…Start a search…But did she?...Oh, ok, good…Proceed. Is she there? Put her on…""

"Dr. Leekie's getting the word right now." Norris looked over to Leekie… "Search?"

Leekie nodded but put up a half folded hand. "Yeah, go ahead…" Norris told the phone… "But remember, stick with the original plan, we don't want her caught. Just track her and don't lose her."

"You're all right?" Leekie asked the phone. "Good. Yes. I think Allison is indulging her latent Helena a bit too much these days. All right, get back here as soon as you can…If you're sure you're alright. Rachel? What about Hendrix? Was he with her? Ok."

Yes. Allison closed the phone, nodding to the guard beside her…Adjusting the robe he'd fetched for her after she'd ditched Rachel's suit out the bathroom window to a back building lot below and emerged screaming for help… "You heard Dr. Leekie…Search but don't keep her or her husband from escaping…"

Given that phone call from him that just saved my ass one minute ago and the fact that he didn't let Leekie know he and Rachel are in the closet right there…I would say…She beamed a little…He is...With me.

Oh…Donnie…

God, what am I, the world's worst duct taper?


	10. Chapter 10

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part X…

"So she went out the window?…Typical Allison…" Norris grinned. "Tell me dear ole Donnie hauled his fat ass through with her."

"This isn't a joking matter, Norris." Leekie frowned, on phone. "Yes?...All right...Check the building exterior…If Mrs. Hendrix or her husband are climbing, abort the plan and secure them. I don't want either of them coming to harm."

"There's no need to hunt for Hendrix. You. Get me some clothes…Now." Allison coldly ordered the nurse from the infirmary Leekie had called in before she'd been brought into the office. Nursing the self-inflicted bump to the side of the head she'd had to give herself to fit her tale of being attacked and left in the bathroom earlier.

She went to the closet door…Holding breath…

"Rachel?" Leekie stared…

"He's right here. She dumped him in here before our little excursion to the ladies room."

"What?" Norris, a bit perturbed.

Not all that anxious to see a (another?) monitor corpse…

Well, no way I'm getting out of this without him…Either he's for real and kept his end up or…

Nothing like trusting your heart…Goddamn me for a fool if I'm wrong…She opened the door, turning to give Leekie a frown, and pulling a hapless Donnie out and onto the floor before the others…He still in duct tape gag, arms behind back, looking secure…She closed the door before Rachel, under coat on floor, could be spied.

Gotta find out how he got outta that duct tape…She eyed the figure squirming on the floor, kneeling to "free" his already-unbound wrists from the tape.

Ah, a hole…He broke it with a wire hanger.

The same way he did that time in university, of course…She beamed inwardly.

When those jerks did that initiation thing and he called me to bring him clothes and was all set up in the frat before they even got back…Shite-eatin' grin and all…

God…Yes…How could I have forgotten that side of Donald Hendrix?

"Hendrix…" she began…Pulling him to a seated position and moving to work on the legs.

"Don't Rachel…" Leekie cautioned.

"I don't want this to go any farther…Donald?"

Muffled groan from Donnie through gag…

Go…Leekie hissed to Norris…Who shrugged and left the office…

"Donald? It's Aldous Leekie. Sorry about all this…" Leekie had moved to Donnie.

Allison rising…Struggling to avoid a flicker of fear…

That's beginning to sound like a suave villain's dismissal speech…

Permanent dismissal…

Leekie pulled off the tape around the gag, kneeling by Donnie now…

"Arrh…" Donnie spit out the gag. "Dr. Leekie?! What's going on here?! You lied to me?! Ally said you were in on this cloning thing?! She thinks I knew all about it! You…Bitch…" he looked at Allison…

"You and this maniac have ruined my marriage!" he glared.

"Where is Allison, Hendrix?" Leekied demanded. "Where was she headed?"

"God knows…Just away from you and this place…And from me…" Donnie, tearing up. "You bastards…Was Ally's mom in on this? You told me you were trying to help Ally, medical problems from the invitro…Mental health concerns…Bullcrap, all of it. I should have told her the minute she told me about the clones." sigh. "Let me outta here, I gotta go try and find her."

"We want to find her too, Hendrix." Leekie, quietly. "She's in danger, she may be trying to climb down this building…"

"What?!"

"So she knows now you've been in contact with me…" Leekie eyed Donnie…Who was tearing off the leg tape…Jesus!

Ally repressing horrified gasp…Oh…

The nurse knocking at the door… "Ms. Duncan? We've sent a driver to your home to get a suit. For now, we have this if you like." She offered a scrubs outfit on hanger.

"Nothing in the closet?" Leekie asked pleasantly.

"Hmmn?" Ally, brightly. "No, just a coat…I was having my spare suit dry-cleaned. All right…" she grabbed the hanger from the nurse. "Have the driver bring me my…Oh, doesn't matter, the first one in the closet." She frowned, the nurse nodding and hurrying off.

"I'm leaving…If you try to stop me…" Donnie, on his feet now, glaring.

"No one is holding you, Hendrix." Ally, coolly. "But if you want Allison safe…You should consider being sensible and coming to terms."

"No way. You people have lied to me from the beginning and what you're doing is illegal. Patent my wife? Use me to watch her, telling me she's got serious health issues I need to keep tabs on? Pretend to be a family friend, a therapist?"

"I was, in a manner of speaking, Don…" Leekie shrugged. "As for illegality, the envelope gets pushed all the time in Science…And needs to be. As for the patents…We have a right to protect proprietary techniques but no court is going to grant us control over our subjects. Which is why we've been careful to avoid interfering in their lives…"

Donnie eyeing Ally with desperate…Don't!...Expression as she nearly chortled…Catching just in time, pulling on scrubs outfit to try to contain herself.

"'Avoid interfering'…?" Donnie fumed. "Are you insane?"

"The usual title…Hendrix, nothing we've done to date has kept our subjects from living full lives of their own…" Leekie insisted. "I'm sorry if you had to be left in the dark but keeping our monitors blinded was an important part of the experiment."

"Which is? This 'experiment'…?"

"I can't reveal that without a firm commitment from Allison that she's willing to deal with us."

"Bull. You want that daughter of her sister's…Kira. And you want to use Ally to get her, convince Sarah to hand her over."

"Sarah will never 'hand over' Kira." Leekie smiled. "We know that, that's why we finally intervened to try and help protect her."

"I don't believe a word you say, Dr. Leekie." Donnie shook head. "And I won't help you find Ally. I hope she's run and keeps running…"

"And what about her mad sister? Helena? And Tomas' group?"

"Who? I know about the crazy sister but she's dead… Now who's Tomas?"

"He ran her…And I should tell you, there's a mystery around Helena's unfortunate demise."

"Really?" Donnie, glaring. "That you tormented that crazy loon the way you hounded my poor wife?"

"The body disappeared before we could collect." Leekie eyed him. "We know Sarah shot her but after our people on the spot examined her and pronounced her dead, she vanished."

"So? Her friends grabbed the body and made off…Or maybe this Sarah had it picked up…They were sisters. She might not have wanted any chance you'd get your hands on her."

Ally maintaining a calm stare…

They knew? Who's been keeping tabs on Sarah like that? "Ms." Dr. S., the foster mother? Paul?

"Good guesses, but wrong…In fact…" Leekie sighed…Rising and moving to Rachel's desk.

"May I, sweetheart?" he smiled at her.

"Of course, Aldous…" nod…

"I may as well come clean with you, Hendrix." Leekie shrugged. "Tomas is not our opponent…In fact he works for us. Helena was his charge…"

"Are you kidding?" Donnie, hastily…Loudly…Sidelong glance to Allison who repressed gasp.

"You killed those poor girls?" Donnie stared. "You sent Helena out to murder your subjects?"

"Cruel necessity, Don…" Leekie sighed. "And an important test of the subjects' abilities…"


	11. Chapter 11

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part XI…

Leekie back on the phone, demanding news on the hunt for Allison…

Donnie pulling at the tape remaining around his eyes…OW!...Really? Was there a need for this, Ally? He eyed Allison who maintained the most poised air of refined sarcasm she could come up with under the circumstances…

"Murderers, that what you people are…!" he fumed.

A nervous Ally sidelong glance to Leekie, turned away…

Not the sort of thing to say just right now in the lion's den, Donnie.

"Hardly…As…Aldous will explain…Hendrix." She tried, careful look.

Right…Explain why Dyad had Helena conditioned as a murderous religious fanatic and made good use of her.

And now Leekie's plan is to use me to find Kira…Let me "escape".

God…What if this is a set-up even now? If he's just laughing at me…

He…And…

"Hendrix?" Leekie had closed his phone… "I'm afraid there's no word on Allison yet. Now as to your charge…Which I would be cautious about if you really think we're murderers…The fact of the matter is that we couldn't foresee the various outcomes for our girls. We did manipulate a good number, but at the time the human genome was uncharted…We couldn't know what all the consequences of the cloning or the manipulations would be. Sadly, in many cases…"

Judas Priest…Allison stifled a gasp…

"Ally? Is she ill?" Donnie stared.

"Thankfully no serious medical problems as yet but she does have a tendency towards OCD and minor bipolar issues. Don, we didn't want to harm any of our girls…But to let them suffer…"

"Let the world find out what you've done, you mean, you son of a bitch!" Donnie glared. "You sent that maniac out to kill those girls to save your ass. Someone would've caught one if all these girls started dying at once…And I don't believe you about Ally. You'd say anything to use her to get Kira Manning."

"Kira…Yes…Kira is the prize of prizes." Leekie sighed. "But we don't want to harm her…God knows, she's the alpha and the omega of everything we've been working for. And she could ensure Ally's survival. I won't lie to you, Don. There still are medical concerns as Ally ages…High risk for Alzheimer's, Helena's instability and her own, and even other physical problems we haven't seen signs of yet. Which should make it your and Ally's concern that Kira's unique abilities are properly studied. To put it straight to you, Allison's life could depend on what we learn from that little girl." Concerned look. "You don't have to trust us, but think of that. And let me know if Ally comes home, will ya? I do want to meet with her, on whatever terms she wants."

"What?" Donnie stared. "That's it? I can go?"

"As Rachel said, no one is holding you, Don. And as you know, the police know you and Allison came here. Wouldn't exactly be in our interests not to let you go, though I hope you'll stay in touch." Smile.

"Wait…I still have questions." Donnie insisted. "This craziness, what is it all about? Who's running this? And what was all that with Ansley? Is she dead?"

"Don. You have questions, we have rules. Rule one, no answers without a commitment." Leekie shrugged. "And I'll need Allison to make that commitment…"

"She hates me…And I wouldn't tell her to cooperate with you regardless. I'm going to the police and tell them all I know, Leekie."

"Hard to do while you're back in a cell, Hendrix." Leekie grinned. "Look, I don't want to get rough here but you're not only guilty of breaking and entering, and assisting in an illegal scientific experiment, if it comes to that…"

"I never knew what you were doing!"

"Allison certainly wouldn't agree, Hendrix." Allison spoke up… "I'd say she'd be happy to testify you were a full and important member of our little conspiracy…"

"Point there, Don…" Leekie nodded, smile to Allison who gave little smile back…

Great…We are lovers…

Delightful…

"But more important…" Allison noted. "There is a murder you're implicated in…"

"True enough…" Leekie nodded. "I'm afraid poor Ansley is quite dead…And neither we nor poor Helena were the culprits."

Oh, God…Allison…Desperately repressing…

"I didn't kill Ansley." Donnie fumed. "If you're trying to frame…"

Leekie swung the laptop on Rachel's desk around, clicking…

Web cam shot of Ansley's kitchen…Sounds of Ansley, Ally arguing…Shot of Ansley, then Ally in angry confrontation…Ansley's scornful voice…

"She was of course only the junior member of the team…But she proved quite useful." Leekie noted, smiling… "Especially so after her unfortunate and if I may say so, rather gruesome, demise…"

Donnie staring as Ansley on camera began stuffing Ally's Christmas angel down the sink…

"A fine actress, must give her that, poor thing…Stayed in character to the bitter end…" Leekie as Ansley was shown starting to choke, calling for help…

Donnie…I…Ally looking at him.

"You did this!" Donnie cried… "You drove her to this!"

"Don…Look, willing as I am to admit…"

Leekie pausing at a knock on the door… "Yes?"

"Suit for Ms. Duncan…" a young man's voice called…Ally going over as Donnie glared at Leekie…Taking suit from the young man who'd brought it. She closed the door and returned to her desk, setting suit on a chair…

"Aldous, may I?" she asked, indicating a drawer. "I need a brush."

He moved and she opened the drawer…

"…Anyway…" he began… "Whatever role we played here, the murderer in this case…"

"Is right here. Hands up, Dr. Leekie." Allison pointed the gun she'd pulled out of the drawer.


	12. Chapter 12

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part XII…

Leekie, rather bemused grin, facing Allison…

"Mrs. Hendrix, you never fail to surprise me with your adaptability. You got me, Allison…"

"Yes. And if you make any attempt to get help, I'll really get you. Helena-style…" Allison frowned.

"What about Rachel? She is all right?" Leekie looked to Donnie as well as Donnie moved by Allison.

"She's in the closet. Appropriately, I'd say. Given she's the sell-out among us."

"Oh, I have to differ there, Ally. She's the true believer…Hardly a sell-out." Hard stare…

"Yes, for a moment…" Allison nodded. "I nearly sold myself out for a little peace and a lie…One you created. Get back with him, Donnie." She waved the gun, Donnie looking startled.

"I want to believe you…Really I do…But these people count on that and I can't risk that you're still lying to me."

"Paranoia…It's been cropping up in a number of you." Leekie noted.

"Learned awareness…" Allison corrected. "Beth and I have every reason to be paranoid and poor Helena's problem was she trusted too much…Like we did."

"Ally, you don't think…" Donnie tried. "I could've…"

"We run, eventually I contact Sarah, they get a lead on Kira…You could be deceiving me Donnie. Leekie knew I wasn't Rachel before…I'm not so convinced in my acting skills or your lack thereof that this couldn't be another trick. You're staying here, till I'm gone."

"Ok." He sighed. "You've every right not to trust me."

"Allison, you're being ridiculous. Where will you go?" Leekie shrugged. "Look, Hendrix isn't lying to you…Believe me, he's not my choice for a monitor for you, we merely took advantage of the situation and his concern for you."

"I don't need you to sell me to Ally, you son of a bitch." Donnie grimly, to Leekie. "Ally, you go…Try to find some way to let me know if you're ok, please? And if I can help without giving them a line on you. I'll go back to the police…They can put me wherever they like."

"I don't want to seem vindictive, but that's a jail cell, without our help." Leekie noted.

"Don't make a deal with him, Ally." Donnie shook his head. "I'll tell the cops everything I know, someone will listen."

"If he makes it back to the police…" Leekie, calmly. Put up a hand to Allison's stare… "I don't say we'd harm him but there are others involved here who would prefer not to have any whiff of scandal touch them."

"The people who approved this project, covered for you…People in the government…" Allison eyed him…Gun steady.

"Government(s), really…" Leekie smiled. "The Cold War was very good to black-box science and I'm afraid we did take shameless advantage of the paranoia of the time."

"Really? We were sold to the government as Cold War superweapons?" Allison blinked. "Right…" she nodded. "Yes, facility with weapons, language skills…And we have that middle European ancestry from somewhere…I get it. The CIA must have been drooling at the prospect. An endless army of potential agents and warriors…"

"One has to do these things to get Science done sometimes. As Cosima could tell you…" Leekie smiled. "But more a case of we took their Cold War cash and facilities and ran."

"Yes." She nodded… "Project LEDA. Sarah told me. You…And Sarah's so-called foster mother, Mrs. S…Dr. Sadler, right? I should have known, I thought she was a sweet woman…I really have to start assuming anyone I like or trust is automatically a liar."

"Ally?" Donnie cut in. "I'd go while the getting is good."

"Just one question of my own…If I may…" Leekie raised a finger. "How'd you know Norris was on to you?"

"Chad figured me out?" Allison sighed.

God…

"He's actually quite brilliant…Though something of a goof-off and loose cannon, he's one of our best and brightest. It really was symbolic of our respect for your intelligence that he was assigned to lead the monitoring in your case." Leekie smiled.

"Charming…So I accidently strangled the wrong Norris…" she sighed.

"What?" Donnie blinked.

"Voluntary manslaughter…Maybe third-degree murder." Leekie shrugged. "You'd probably get off lightly, especially if you could ever prove Ansley was part of our monitoring team."

"Ally? What's he talking about? I thought they…" Donnie stared.

"I killed Ansley, Donnie." She sighed. "It was an accident but I could have saved her. I let her die. I thought she'd destroyed my family, made me hurt you…" brushing tears.

"She'll go to prison, Hendrix…" Leekie eyed Donnie. "The evidence is in our database and can be presented as merely home surveillance tapes. Norris is, was, technically her husband and he will testify that Ally was furious at Ansley…I wouldn't say your chances of proving the monitoring was anything but paranoid delusion are good."

"Look, people…" Leekie glanced at both… "I don't want this to end badly. You don't. We just want to establish a new relationship among us, to the benefit of…"

"That should do it, do you think?" Allison eyed Donnie who nodded, after a moment's hesitation…

She had me going there for a moment..

"What?" Leekie stared. As Allison went to the laptop, inserting flash drive.

"You recorded this?" he eyed Allison, who was tapping the keypad firmly.

"Oh, no…Not just that…" she smiled at him serenely. "I've been transmitting live to Toronto Metropolitan Police Headquarters. Art? Sorry, Detective Bell?" she eyed the screen, clicking…

"We got it all, Ms. Hendrix." Art, on screen in insert box. "Aldous Leekie, you and Rachel Duncan and Chad Norris are under arrest. Stay where you are until our officers come to collect you." The box closed…

"Nice." Leekie beamed. "But we'll be out in a day at most and you'll be in prison for a good long stretch, Allison…I can promise you that. And your custody of your children…" Leekie shrugged. "Poof…" he waved hands.

"We'll see, Dr. Leekie…" Allison shrugged. "By the way you can tell Chad it was that fool Hendrix who suggested we get you to spill a few beans for the police. He can thank you in prison."

"Allison…Don't be a fool." Leekie frowned. "What I said to Hendrix about medical concerns is true. And I've warned you, there are powerful people involved here who will not allow themselves to be put in jeopardy. You and your children are in danger without our protection."

"I'd guess you have more to fear from them than me, Dr. Leekie." Allison, calmly. "Having failed them."

"Perhaps…But there's also still Tomas…And…"

"You just told us Tomas works for you." Donnie frowned.

"Independent contractor, these days…He's actually a brilliant molecular biologist as well as really being a theologian, though of course he's been with us. But now, out of our control and ambitious as he is…And I must confess, he's been playing a double game with us as well. With his group of fanatics, who do believe in him even if it is all a deception, he's poised to take Kira and perhaps you as well…" Leekie eyed Allison. "And should he be removed, his Proleithians will be totally out of control and bent on killing you all."

"We'll handled him. We'll go on handling him."

"And there's still…Helena…" Leekie smiled.

Slight muffled bang of unshoed foot on closet door…

"We'll worry about all that when we come to it, Doctor." Allison frowned. Glance to Donnie… "I think we'd best be leaving before the police come, I'd prefer not to have the spotlight on us. Come along, Aldous. Lets escort Mr. Hendrix to a car…" she resumed Rachel voice.

Leekie, grinning…Wave of hands in peaceful gesture…

…

"Well?"

"Duncan says Hendrix and Hendrix, Inc slipped out a bathroom window after slugging her." Norris shrugged.

"You're kidding? They climbed out? On this building, from that floor?"

"Leekie seemed to believe it."

"Chad…" Ansley frowned, fingering the brace round her neck. "You know…Sometimes I really think you're almost as stupid as your character. Did you call Tomas at least?" she leaned back in her chair in the Dyad conference room where Norris had slipped in a moment before.

"He says to watch but let Leekie's boys trace her. Our people are standing by."

"Those nuts? Great help they'll be…" sigh.

"An…"

"Sorry…Nearly strangling to death at the hands of my subject has an irritating effect…" Ansley glared.

"Ansley, you know for every bruise, I'll cut off a piece of that bitch's flesh once we have her in our hands…" Chad noted, grimly. Patting her arm fondly…

"After you and Tomas have learned everything you can…" Ansley noted firmly. "And she's led us to that little girl."


	13. Chapter 13

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part XIII…

Toronto Metropolitan Police HQ…

Where a rather perturbed Officer DeAngelis was considering the latest turn of events while regarding Art Bell as he prepared to head out…

"You're not going out to Dyad?" she asked Art as he checked his revolver in holster.

"I'll leave the fun there to you for now, Ange…" smile. "I've got business with good ole Paul."

"But if we're going to bring in that crew…This 'Dr. Leekie' and 'Rachel Duncan'…Who, if this really is her pic…" tap to her computer showing the Dyad Institute website and Rachel prominent in an image of company senior staff. "Is yet another 'sister' of Beth Childs and company. You don't wanna be in on that? Art?"

"I want to see what Dierden is up to now that he's a free spirit."

"Forest for the trees, Art?" she eyed him. "This round-up seems to be the big event…And frankly, I'm still not sure what it's all about."

"Welcome to the club, Angie."

"Art." Hard stare… "Beth is dead. Hounding Paul Dierden isn't gonna bring her back…And if he's only small potatoes here."

"I'll be back for the interrogs, Angie. You have the same info on these people I have from the Hendrix's little broadcast. I'm sure you don't need me to hold you r hand, do ya?" grin.

"Fine." She frowned. "Go play Sherlock with Moriarty."

"I never thought Dierden had any brains myself…" he smiled. "Take care of the Hendrixes, Angie…Bring 'em in safe along with our new friends, ok?"

"Whatever…" she shrugged. "They seem to be doing just fine on their lonesome…"

…

"I hope you fully realize I'll shoot you in the back if you make any attempt to alert your security, Doctor." Allison noted, in Rachel voice as she followed Leekie, Donnie beside her, descending stairs.

"I don't doubt it, dear." Leekie, pleasantly. "But we always intended to let you leave in any case. That wasn't a lie."

"I'll never lead you to Sarah or Kira…" Allison, firmly.

"Well…If I may be frank, Allison…As befitting our desire to be honest with you from now on…Sooner or later, you will lead either us or Tomas or the police to that child. And I tell you, it would be in her best interest that it be us." Leekie noted calmly.

"Like with Helena…" Allison, grimly. "Suppose we just keep moving and save discussion for another time…Say at the trial."

"Ally…?" Donnie spoke up, now. "It's really true…I thought before it was just…"

"I killed Ansley, yes." She said, flatly. "At least, I let her die. Donnie, lets talk about it later."

"It's my fault…And theirs…" Donnie shook his head.

"Allison, those tendencies…" Leekie began…

"Shut up!" both Hendrixes glared.

Eyeing each other, wan smiles…

"We'll get through this, Ally…Somehow…" Donnie assured her. "As for this asshole and his bs, anyone might've reacted as you did…And she really was one of your monitors."

"Last time I checked…" Leekie tried. Cutting off as Allison jammed her pistol into his back.

"Sorry…" he grinned, shrugging. "Consider it the family therapist in me."

"Enough." Allison frowned. "Are we headed the right way to the carport?" she hissed to Donnie who looked at an institute map lit up on the wall before them.

"Just two more flights…Then over to the left, down the long hall."

"Ms. Duncan?" a figure in security uniform appeared at the stairway door of the floor they were passing…Tall, husky.

Allison pasting pleasant smile, keeping gun under folded coat carefully trained on Leekie.

"Just trying to take the stairs a bit more. How is the search going…?" she asked.

"Nothing yet ma'am. Dr. Leekie." Nod. Leekie returning a smile…

The guard eyed Donnie curiously…Allison noting…

"Yes, Mr. Hendrix was still in our office. Didn't you get word?" she eyed him. "It's only Mrs. Hendrix we're after now."

"No, ma'am, I didn't. But I haven't had a chance to check in."

"Well, you'd better make sure the others know we're only looking for one person now." She noted calmly. "Excuse us."

"Yes…Ma'am?" the guard came close. "Could you please move that coat?" stern tone.

"What?" frown…

"I need to see what you have under that coat, ma'am." The guard pulled on his side holster.

"Grab her, she's got a gun!" Donnie suddenly howled…Startling the guard just enough to allow Donnie to grab him as Allison pulled the gun out to cover. The guard throwing Donnie off but too late to go for his own gun.

"Don't move!" Allison insisted. "Doctor, stand by him." She waved Leekie over.

"Donnie? Are you all right?" she eyed Donnie as he picked himself off the stairs.

"Fine…Fine…" he rose.

Leekie, wryly amused smile…The guard looking rather sheepish…

"Give him your gun, you…" Allison waved her gun. The guard reluctantly unholstering and passing his gun to Donnie.

"This is a citizens' arrest, the police are on their way." She pronounced.

"Doctor?" the guard eyed Leekie who shrugged.

"Just cooperate and you won't be hurt." Allison insisted. "And we'll inform the police you cooperated."

"Best to do as Mrs. Hendrix says…" Leekie noted. "She is telling the truth about the police."

"Sir?"

"I'm sure you vas only following orders…" Allison eyed the guard darkly. "So just clam up and keep moving and you're sure to find another job guarding another evil science institute…I'm sure the woods are full of them." She waved her gun.

"Allison…" Leekie, rather gently… "As long as you do have police on the way…I hardly see the need…Hendrix?" he turned to Donnie…Donnie eyeing him narrowly.

"Fine." Shrug.

…

"Dr. Norris…?" A security guard poked her head into the conference room where Chad and Ansley sat, after a brief tap at the door.

"Yo…Any word?" Chad smiled.

"Nothing on the Hendrixes, sir. But we've not heard anything from Dr. Leekie or Ms. Duncan for a bit. Have they spoken to you?"

Ansleysitting up at the news…

Ow…Slight groan at the result, gingerly nursing the injured neck.

"Ok, there, An?" Chad, concerned.

"Fine, fine…What was that? You haven't been able to reach Dr. Leekie? Or Rachel Duncan?" she eyed the guard.

"They weren't in his or her office and we can't reach them by phone…" the guard noted. "Should we continue the search for the Hendrixes?"

"Sure…Yeah…" Chad nodded. Glance to Ansley…

Maybe crazy Hendrix and co have solved our problems for us…?

"Just let us know if there's any word." Ansley noted firmly. "We'll in Ms. Duncan's office."

"Ma'am." The guard nodded, heading out…

"Come on, Chad…" Ansley urged, rising a bit stiffly…Ow…Damnit!

Really owe that bitch of a clone serious pain when next we meet…

"Rachel's office?" Chad eyed her.

"We'll have a look at what my gal pal Allison was peeking at in Duncan's files…" Ansley noted. "There could be something useful there that she wanted regarding Sarah Manning and her daughter…And maybe Donnie and Marie decided to leave a few more corpses around…"

Chad blinking…

"The Hendrixes, Chad…God…" Ansley sighed.

"I knew that." He frowned.

Nice to have my girl back…

…..

Paul Dierden's car moving at normal pace through a section of Toronto not quite so ritzy as that to which he and Beth had been accustomed…At a distance, Art Bell following carefully, keeping several cars between them at all times.

"Tell me this isn't a wild goose chase, Beth…" Art sighed as he drove. "But my gut is telling me to keep after Dierden if I want to get to the bottom of this." He turned a corner, keeping Paul's car inview.

Not back to Casa Felix or the Sadler place…So just where is Mr. Dierden hanging out now that his fortunes have declined a bit…

He picked up his buzzing phone. "Dectective Bell…Yes, Angie…Ok, good…Just move in and grab everyone. See that the Hendrixes are ok. Just tell the bastards all the records are impounded and secure them…Let the captain work out the details with the big boys later. Angie…I'll take full responsibility. Secure everything and person you can. Ok, call me when you've got the Hendrixes or this 'Dr. Leekie'…No, don't arrest the Hendrixes, Angie. Angie? Ok, good. Thanks, Angie." He closed his phone.

"Well, Dierden…" he eyed the car just ahead, at a traffic light… "Just who are you trying to get to?"

…..

Dyad Institute carport…

Leekie leading the way, the foursome passed through a security gate after showing ids and Allison, with Leekie's forced backing had cleared Donnie for leaving, the group moved by the carport wall to where several company cars waited.

"In! Please…" Allison hissed to the guard as she stopped the group by a maintenance closet…She having taken the guard's keys and phone as well as having taken Leekie's.

The guard having gone in without much protest…Rather glad to get away from that psycho…She locked the closet and turned to Leekie who eyed her calmly. Donnie glancing round for anyone among the few workers going to and fro who might pose a possible threat.

"Well, there's the cars…" Leekie noted. "I would've gladly brought you here without guns and the falderal but here we are." He eyed Allison calmly.

"I'd really recommend you not shoot me, Allison…One murder is quite enough to your credit."

"I'm not going to shoot you, Doctor." She shook her head.

"Wise decision…" he nodded. "Well, best of…"

"You're coming with us." She insisted.

"Me? Aren't the police…?" he eyed her…

"Like you said…" she eyed him calmly. "You'd be out and about in a few hours, with the help of your friends. I believe that. So, till we know Sarah and Kira will be safe…You'll be visiting with your old patient and her husband."

"Kidnapping? Allison…Not the wisest move…" Leekie shook head. "And even evil philanthropists have the law on their side in such cases. Don't make your situation worse, sweet..." he cut off as Allison jammed gun in his back. "Those things can go off, Allison…" he cautioned. "I'd consider your family's future."

Donnie eyeing Allison…

"I'll take my chances, thanks…" she frowned. "But consider this just us making sure you get to the police intact. Citizens arrest."

"I don't think that will hold up in court, sweetheart." Leekie grinned.

"Citizens arrest versus illegal cloning and murder…I'd say our chances look better than yours." She noted.

"Allison, pull me out like this and the people behind our project will assume I've cut a deal with the authorities. I won't be able to protect…"

"Exactly…" she smiled. "Isn't my father of sorts a brilliant fellow, Donnie?"

"Regular Eichmann." Donnie nodded. Leekie a bit perturbed, eyeing the two…

…..

"She must have passwords here…Allison got into her computer…" Ansley frowned at Chad who was searching Rachel's desk as she took chair and examined the laptop, now dark.

"There's nothing…Hendrix must've taken it all." Chad frowned, closing a drawer. "We can call IT and have them open the laptop…"

"And we wanted to search Rachel Duncan's computer why?" Ansley eyed him.

"Well…We were just trying…" he began. She frowned at him as he looked sheepishly back.

He may be brilliant in the lab, but he was a perfect choice for the role of Chad the suburban house husband/kept gym boy…She shook head.

Both looking over to the closet from which the muffled thud of a shoeless foot striking the door now came…

…


	14. Chapter 14

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part XIV…

Well, well…Ansley eyed Chad as they stared at the writhing coat on the closet floor…

How low have the mighty fallen…And given I can't picture…Ow, damnit!...She groaned as a slight attempt to bend to cast an arch look at the figure on the floor set off a wave of pain. Chad giving an anxious look…An?...The docs tole you to take it easy.

She motioned to him to step aside with her…

"It can't be Leekie…And it's too lithe and small to be that lump Hendrix…" she hissed. "It's either Rachel or Allison."

"Shouldn't we get her out?" Chad urged..

"In a moment…Chad…This could play to our advantage. You do want to be more than a cog in Leekie's Dyad wheel, don't you? "

"Of course…But …" Chad glanced at the open closet. "If that's Rachel…"

"I'd guess it is…" Ansley nodded.

"…Shouldn't we keep on playing along? Those were Tomas' orders. Find out all we can."

"Chad…" grim look. "Try to stop thinking small. You really want to substitute Tomas for the Leekies?"

"Well…" he considered. "You mean, strike out on our own? Ansley, how would we manage that?"

"If we have Kira Manning and her blood…And it's everything you told me it could be…" Ansley eyed him.

"Sure, yeah?"

"Chad, we could go to any biotech firm and parley the knowledge obtained from that kid into a fortune…An empire.." Ansley eyed him. "You do see that, don't you?"

"Well…I'm really a research sort of guy, An…" he sighed. "I leave the business end to you."

"Thank God…Just see you keep on doing that." Frown. "Now the question is, is it time to break with our current employers or should we wait a bit yet?"

"We don't know where the Manning girl is, An…We don't even know where Allison is…I think…" he began…Eyeing her glare…

Think? You, think?

"An, I'm not the idiot I play back in Suburban Hell…" he frowned. "I'm a first class researcher and I have ideas…"

"Well?"

"What?"

"I see I've made my point." She glared. "All right though, you're right for once…We don't have enough information."

"Wasn't really a necessary idea to make me look silly then." He noted, peeved.

"Shut up…I'm thinking."

"I'm only letting you treat me like this cause you're still hurt, you know…" he frowned.

"Quiet!" she hissed. "All right, we can't risk trying to get help with Rachel's computer…So we'll keep playing the faithful employees…For now. But lets stick with Duncan while she's shaken, she may spill something useful. Chad…?" she eyed him.

"An? Should I get her out of…"

"Leekie and Duncan don't know we're really a couple…I mean outside the marriage for the job, you adopting my kids and all that…"

"You said not to let anyone catch on and I haven't…"

"Then technically…You're free…" she eyed him. "And poor Rachel must be pretty shaken up. And being genetically almost completely identical to Allison she must share her sexual tastes to some extent."

"I guess…Though we are married, An. And oh, at least one of the clones is gay…So it's hard to say as to sexual…"

"Chad…I want you to use what Nature gave you…Like with Hendrix, female."

"You want me to fuck Duncan in the closet there?" he stared.

"Jesus, Chad…" she groaned. Ow! Damnit!

"Ansley? Honey, be careful…" anxious tone, cut off by her glare.

…..

Paul having parked at a small shopping mall in a reasonably respectable area, Art had cautiously pulled in a block away and left his car…Carefully staying out of view…

At least, to the extent he could…Moving in slowly as Paul strode across the lot and into the main grocery store anchoring the mall…

Art entering a few moments later…

Ok, are we supershopping now that the Dyad money spigot is closed off or is this…? He moved down the empty aisle, slowly entering the next aisle, scanning the shelves for that hard-to-find item…

…A rendezvous…? He looked to see a young woman in black "London Calling" shirt, blonde-haired, just ahead, back to him.

God damn…

Sarah in a blonde wig? Dyed hair…? He pulled back and hovered at the aisle corner just as Paul appeared, moving quickly to the girl who halted and began speaking to him…Paul not exactly showing signs of a glad reunion…And glancing round as if he'd expected to have been followed…

Ok…Ok…

Manning in disguise of sorts…Dierden meets with her in a fairly good choice for a place to remain relatively inconspicuous…

Understandable, given she's protecting her kid.

The body language though…He eyed "Sarah"?...

Not a nervous mom, desperately passing words with her protective boyfriend…

Much too casual…Even a little…Playful…

And Paul does not look like a man overjoyed to see his girl again. He watched as the girl grabbed at Paul's hand, Paul pulling away…

And too loud…Too loud for a Sarah trying to remain unnoticed…Paul clearly trying to get her to quiet down.

She grabbed at Paul again…Firm grip…Clear tension…

Nope…These two are not lovers, unless it's of the very kinky variety.

God, another one?

Sudden breaking free by Paul…The girl's bandaged face visible…Hmmn…Looks like she's been in quite a fight. Face tense, pleading…Not angry though…Hands now in peaceful gesture. Paul, grim, shaking head.

Apparently not a welcome addition to the family…

Sarah…He caught the word from the girl's lips…Paul again shaking head, stepping back.

Both putting on polite smiles as a couple of shoppers came into the aisle…

Whoa. Art pulled back as the girl glanced down his way.

Did she? He peered.

Both gone…Damn…Guess she did…He sighed and turned…

The bruised, bandaged face before him smiling…

"Detective Arthur Bell?…How nice." Singsong…Russian? Ukrainian? Accent… "My seestras says such nice things of you. I'm…Helena…" gentle beam.


	15. Chapter 15

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part XV…

"Are you sure you're all right, Ms. Duncan?" Chad, carefully, helping the at last unbound Rachel to her chair at her desk as Ansley, sitting on a chair in front of the desk gave a sympathetic stare.

Building not only on her acting career but years of practice with Hendrix for just that right mix of sincerity and concern…

"Do you know where Aldous is? Are they searching the building?" Rachel frowned.

"We don't, Rachel." Ansley, sigh… "But yes, as to the searching…Nothing so far. Chad? Why don't you get Ms. Duncan some water?"

"I'm fine, just give me a moment…" Rachel shook head.

Hmmn…She looked down at her bra and panties… "You can get me a suit from the closet though." She eyed Chad who nodded and hurried over.

"I'm sorry we didn't realize sooner…" Ansley began.

"You really should have me checked." Rachel calmly, pulling laptop over… "How do you know I'm not Hendrix or Manning?"

"Well…" Ansley hesitated. Eyeing the laptop. "You do know Rachel Duncan's passwords." She noted.

"Doesn't prove anything. I've told Aldous this was bound to happen, given Manning's perchant for identity theft. Well, we'll consider security upgrades later."

"Here you go…" Chad offered the suit from the closet…

"Right, thanks…Leave." She gazed at Chad who eyed Ansley who gave a nod.

"Better call security, Chad…And find out where Dr. Leekie is." Ansley urged. He nodded and moved to the door.

"Yes, do that. Then remember to come back and let me know." Rachel called.

He frowned grimly at the hall…

I am not that stupid gym boy, ladies…God, Hendrix the lump doesn't get this kind of abuse.

As he shut the door, she pulled on the suit's blouse…

"Ally?!" Ansley, suddenly…

"What?…" Rachel stared, in midbuttoning… "Don't be ridiculous."

"Just checking…" pleasant smile.

"Fine…" nod. "I suppose I deserved that." She pulled on skirt…Frown. "Can't believe that Hendrix managed to get the drop on me."

"I've never felt comfortable with him being a monitor…"Ansley noted. "We should've had him killed and let Chad step in years ago."

"Kill Donnie…?" Rachel frowned at her.

Ansley eyeing her carefully…

You know I'm actually beginning to…

"It is Duncan, Norris…" Rachel glared. "But Aldous believes in double blinded monitors…"

Hmmn…Yeah, it is…Still…There are an awful lot of pictures of Hendrix in her paper files…Ansley eyed her. Chad used to joke about it after we managed to search her desk before.

Well, as I said to him then…Not all that surprising somewhere within is that same strange attraction to fat lumps of dough.

The home-maker gene screwed up with the sex gene or something?

"Dr. Norris quite lives the role, I see." Rachel, while eyeing laptop.

"For a nonprofessional, he's very good." Ansley nodded.

One must rally round family I suppose. And I get the little dig… Slight frown…

Amazing how a job I was forced to take after being caught dead to rights murdering my director/lover turned into a whole life…

"He seems to have grown into the role…I can barely recognize the arrogant young Norris who seemed ready to challenge Aldous for the leadership years ago."

What the hell's that supposed to mean, you bitch? Ansley repressed glare, pasting smile…

"He understands the need to maintain character. He's taken my lessons to heart."

"How nice that you two hit it off…" sardonic tone, quick icy smile, return to computer. Her desk phone buzzed and she took it. "Duncan here."

Is it? Non-commital smile. Yeah, I remember he told me you once had a rather schoolgirl crush on him before your employer/father figure came to be dominant in your…eehew…Love life.

However, one night with a real, human woman…You freak…

"Surely Hendrix and her blimp can't be that elusive…" Rachel sighed to the phone. "Just remember that she's attempting to pass as me…What? A11010. Very good, at least a modicum of common sense…But remember Allison could have obtained my barcode. Yes, it would be wise to have me blood-tested. You're finally earning your overpay for the week. Send someone as quickly as possible. And remember, don't harm the subject or her husband or hinder them…Just make sure they're under surveillance. Good. Any word on Aldous? All right." She sighed.

Well, maybe Ally's gone and done us a favor? Left one of our obstacles gutted and gasping out his last on the playing field? Ansley thought.

"Let me know as soon as possible if there's any news. Yes, you should still have my bloodwork done, you idiot." She hung up, sour look.

"It's no wonder the orphans have had the run of this place with idiots like that in charge of Security…"

"No word on Aldous?"

"No…But he always lands on his feet. He'll deal with our Allison…"

I dunno...Our new and improved Ally tends to "deal" a bit more finally these days…

….

Grocery aisle where a somewhat battered –looking Helena was gently smiling as she regarded Beth's such nice partner…

"So you claim to be Sarah's twin sister…And a sister of sorts to Beth…" Art eyed the figure before him…The upper right side of her face thickly bandaged, including over the right eye, and badly, purpley, bruised and swollen.

"Forgive…I had an unfortunate accident while meeting with my family a few days ago." Wan smile. "Not so painful as it looks…" nervous nod and brushing of cheek.

"Oh…? Sarah never mentioned you."

"We are not on as good terms as I would like…My fault." Sheepish grin. "I am unfit for family."

Obsessed with Sarah…Good at self first-aid if not very expert…And that voice…

Even through a voice-change app…I remember that line… "…unfit for family…"

"I think we're met…Helena…" he noted quietly.

…

"You say Dr. Leekie took a car from the port ten minutes ago…" Rachel eyed the Dyad security chief. "And left with me and someone who fits the description of Donald Hendrix...And no one challenged them?" Chad and Ansley beside her in the carport.

"Dr. Leekie seemed fine…And carport security…"

"All of whom are fired, yes." Rachel nodded. She looked…Chad looked…Ansley looked…The security chief looked…At the sound of banging from the storage room just beyond the carport.

Rachel, grim look to the chief… "I take it you do have the key?"

"You!" the chief called to a sallow-looking young guard at the carport desk. "Key to the storage room!"

"Could she have left Leekie behind…?" Chad hissed to Ansley…

"Donnie…?" Rachel blinked…As Donnie emerged followed by the rather sheepish security guard.

"Hendrix…" she corrected immediately. "Just what the hell are you doing here?"

"She left me…Naturally she didn't trust me anymore…You monsters…" Donnie, grimly glaring. "You've ruined my marriage and my life! I'm going to see you all in prison, if it's the last thing…!"

Sound of police sirens blaring…

"Time to be going, Chad…" Ansley hissed. Eyeing Rachel's strange mixed expression…Annoyance at the intrusion of police…Irritation at having been humiliated by such foes as the "Donny and Marie" of the Orphans…And a rather wistful…Oh, Donnie, please don't be…

Dear God, what did they do to you girls?

….

"I'm sorry you don't trust Hendrix, Allison…" Leekie noted as the Dyad company car sped along, driven by him…Allison keeping gun pointed and hidden under coat. "For what it's worth, he really…"

"Be quiet and keep your eyes on the road, Doctor. Whatever I said about regarding you as a father 'of sorts' a little while ago is heavily weighted to the 'of sorts' and I will shoot you if you give me any trouble."

"All right…Your business…So just where are we going?"

"Home, where else?" Allison shrugged. "I'm free, no need to go to the police unless Ms. Duncan chooses to press charges."

"She very well may…Allison, you're not safe there. If you want some advice…"

"I've had enough from you, thanks, Doctor. And you'll be in as much danger so I'm sure you'll be willing to help keep a watch…"

"Tomas and the forces we used him to control for us and my own backers won't stop because the police raid Dyad…In fact, it will only make them more desperate. It's no trivial matter. Hendrix is in danger as well, you know."

"He'll have to take his chances with the rest of you." She noted calmly.

"You're a good actress, Ally…But not that good." He smiled. "It was brave of him to stay behind, whatever your little scheme is. But of course he loves you more than his life…That's really what sold me on him, despite his obvious limitations."

She eyed him coolly.


	16. Chapter 16

"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

Part XVI…

"You were the caller…The shooter of that other girl, the German…" Art noted calmly.

"I was… Misled…Deceived…" Helena shrugged. "Now my name is Cain and I am unfit and unworthy. Shunned…And God himself has turned His face from me…" her face now somber.

"Why were you meeting Paul Dierden, Beth's old boyfriend?"

"You don't wish to slap the cuffs…Officer?" she eyed him, wan smile.

"You are under arrest…But I'd first like to know…What about …?"

"My name come up?" Paul's voice, low, from behind… "Don't move, Art. That is a gun I have in your back."

"Stop that! This is not my doing, Arthur…" Helena, insistent. "Shall I get…?"

"Not if you don't want another bullet in your head, Helena." Paul, grimly… "Ok, Art…Over to the side, no sudden moves, keep them where I can see them. Helena, don't try anything…"

"This is very foolish, Paul." Helena noted. "This is Canada not the US…The peoples here don't like guns in public."

"All right…" Art, having stepping to the stared at the gun in Paul's grip, pointed at Helena, but not that far from his general direction. "Paul…Put the gun down…Right now. Someone will come any moment."

Paul put the gun in his pocket, but clearly kept it pointed. "Better now? Why are you here, Art?"

"He's trying to avenge my seestra…She should have loved you, Arthur…" Helena beamed. "You are a true child of the Light. My brother…"

"I'm just trying to find out what really happened to Beth…" Art noted carefully. "I'm guessing you are too? Come on, Paul…You know Beth is dead."

"What are you saying?…Beth is dead?" Paul insisted.

"I believe you had nothing to do with it." Art nodded. "I know Beth committed suicide."

"Because someone betrayed her…" Helena, stern glance at Paul… "Arthur, he is not to be trusted…He will betray Sarah…My angel Kira…"

"She's dangerous…Back away from her, Art." Paul insisted, nodding at Helena. "Beth warned me about her…She's her twin sister, insane…Threatened her."

Helena, amused…Who, me? Expression…

"Paul…How can you say that? We were having such pllleassant conversation just now."

"You were talking to her…I saw you." Art noted.

"I was worried about her, for Beth's sake. I tried to get a line on her. She surprised me. I told you Beth warned me about her."

"And you decided to play detective? With a gun? Paul…We both know Beth is dead and I've said I believe you didn't kill her." Art stared at him. "Now I want you to put the gun down or I will put it down for you."

Sigh from Paul…He pulled his gun hand out, suddenly, leaving gun in pocket..."Fine…But what are you saying? Beth is dead? I don't know that."

"Terrible shock, I know, dear boyfriend of seestra…" Helena noted calmly… A minimum of sarcasm.

"You knew Sarah Manning had taken Beth's place…" Art shrugged. "And I'd like to know what your role is in all this…After you hand over that gun."

Paul eyeing him…Then reaching in pocket and removing and handing the gun over…

"Always wise not to shoot a police officer." Art noted. "So, you're military. I always thought you had a little of it in your makeup."

"I was in the military…So were a lot of people…And?"

"Beth never mentioned it…At least not to me."

"Beth tended to keep quiet about a lot of things, Art. Including sis here…" Paul indicated Helena.

"Do you know where Sarah is, now?" Art asked.

Helena eyeing Paul intently…

"It may be life or death, Paul…" Art, calmly. "The Dyad people are about to be arrested but we both know that won't hold them, just make them more anxious to get Sarah and Kira…"

"No." cool reply.

"I don't trust him, Arthur." Helena, insistent…

"I wouldn't say if I knew with you around, that's true enough." Paul nodded. "But I don't know."

"Well, I can go…You boys talk it over…Let me know if he tells you anything, Arthur."

"You're not going anywhere, Helena." Art eyed her sternly. "You are under arrest." He pulled the clip from Paul's gun then pulled out his own gun. "Both of you…Hands in the air…"

"My seestras need me…Ok…" shrug at his stare, raising hands as did Paul, a bit reluctantly… "But you must protect Kira."

"I intend to…" Art nodded.

"They're really arresting the Dyad people?" Paul asked.

"Ho, someone's in trouble now…" Helena grinned. "All the little lies come scurrying out…"

"I think we'd better continue this conversation down at the station…" Art eyed the two.

Helena, slight frown, then shrug… "Could I see doctor there? My head is not so good."

…

Leekie driving, now in the direction of Scarsborough…

"So just what is Hendrix hoping to accomplish for Team Ally?"

Allison, ignoring the question… "Just keep driving, doctor."

"Tabs on Rachel, obviously. But if she's going to be arrested shortly…?"

"Did my mother know about all this? Did she go along to have a child? Or was she a phony too? Another Mrs. S.? Though if she's a scientist, I really have to give Mom credit for great acting…"

"She never knew anything about clones or Dyad, if that's what you mean. Ally? I'm being honest when I say Donnie could be in great danger staying behind like that…I don't know what my backers or Tomas' group will do if they think everything's going to hell, but they won't sit still. If you meant to protect him by leaving him for the police with the others, I'm afraid…"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Dr. Leekie. I am prepared to shoot you in revenge for anything that happens to Donnie, regardless of whether I believe in him or no." Allison, calmly. "Now, please, lets concentrate on getting home. I wanna get out of these clothes and shower Rachel off me."

"I'm sorry you and your sister don't get on…She's just doing…"

"…What Daddy demands?" Allison glared. "Or should I say, what her daddy/lover demands? Tell me, quote doctor unquote…You are an MD/PhD, right? Is there no depth of depravity to which you people won't stoop?"

"If you believe that…" Leekie eyed her a brief second…

"Lets leave all the worries about that to me, shall we? After all, I'm a decisive, pragmatic individual, right? Isn't that what you told me when you sold me that horse manure of a contract?"

…


End file.
